Work towards possibly changing the rules on CET began in earnest at yesterday's GOC meeting. The discussion was held after hundreds of practitioners expressed their views in an online survey.
SPAN {font-variant: small-caps}
Work towards possibly changing the rules on CET began in earnest at yesterday's GOC meeting. The discussion was held after hundreds of practitioners expressed their views in an online survey.
The present rules, which came into force in July this year, are part of the GOC's first CET cycle which will finish at the end of 2006.
A consultation process involving optical bodies, educational groups and individual practitioners has been taking place via the GOC's website.
Over 500 of those registered with the GOC have responded online, filling in an eight-point questionnaire (see below).
A spokeswoman for the Council said the level of feedback had been excellent. She also commented that there was a tight timetable with the aim to get rules for 2007 and beyond agreed in March.
'It's very early to analyse the responses,' she said, 'as the consultation period has just ended, but we will still take opinions for a short time from interested registrants.'
Any reader should contact deputy registrar Dian Taylor via email to add their comments.
The online questionnaire, first reported by optician last month, included the chance for optometrists and dispensing opticians to air their views on the following points:
Whether the scheme should remain a CET one, or move to a more aspirational continuing professional development (CPD) system, introduced by other health regulatory bodies, which encourages practitioners to extend their professional competency
Should practitioners have to achieve more, or fewer points
Should the CET cycle - currently three years - be changed, and if so to one or five years
Should the definition of an achieved CET point be changed - currently one learning hour equates to one point - and should it be easier or harder to earn each point
Should there be a cap on how a practitioner attains CET via a favoured 'modality' (attending conferences, workshops, tutorials, peer groups, internet provision and distance learning)
Should someone gain points through giving a presentation at a conference, or writing or refereeing papers for publication in a peer-reviewed journal
Should practitioners have to gain points in a number of competency areas
Should overseas registrants be able to claim points from CET events which could be retrospectively approved.
Results from the questionnaire are promised shortly.
