GOC updates IP course requirements

Updated requirements for independent prescribing (IP) have been approved by the General Optical Council at its final council meeting of the year on December 8.

A consultation took place from July to October this year and new guidelines policies for additional supply, supplementary prescribing and IP will replace existing frameworks.

Changes include requirements for trainees to acquire a single qualification leading to specialist entry to the GOC register rather than two qualifications gained either sequentially or simultaneously.

Trainees currently enrolled on an IP course will not be affected and the GOC will start work with course providers in January, 2022 to adapt programmes to the new standards.

Leonie Milliner, director of education at the GOC, said: ‘These are fundamental and urgently required changes which will play an important part in building registrants’ capacity to meet future patient and service user needs within service redesign in each nation of the UK.’