Optical regulator the GOC has once again reminded its registrants that there is no ‘shortfall’ period at the end of the CET cycle.
Practitioners that fail to meet CET requirements will face a £700 bill for registration in 2015/16 – £380 to be restored to registers until the end of March and £320 for annual retention.
Optometrists, dispensing opticians and contact lens opticians must meet all of their requirements by December 31.
In past cycles, registrants who did not meet their CET requirements had until the following March to meet their shortfall – but they now face automatic removal from the New Year.
Marcus Dye, GOC head of education and standards, said: ‘When we introduced new CET rules for the 2013-15 cycle we removed the shortfall period as many registrants and stakeholders found it confusing to effectively have two deadlines.
‘I would urge all registrants to log into MyCET and check they have met their requirements. Those who have not should now take urgent action to ensure they meet all of their CET requirements by December 31. Those who do not do so may be removed from our registers and be unable to practise in the UK.’
Registrants were also reminded to accept their ‘pending’ points in MyCET in order to ensure they count last week, with 4,004 registrants – around 19 per cent of fully qualified professionals – still needing to meet their CET requirements before the deadline.
The regulator went on to recommend that all registrants meet their CET requirements by the time its new office in Farringdon, London, closed for Christmas on December 24, ‘to ensure that support will be available if needed’.