Late GOC applicants must hurry

A small number of practitioners yet to register with the General Optical Council this year have been told to do so before the end of the month to avoid being removed from the registers.

The GOC reported that 94.6 per cent of optometrists, dispensing opticians and optical businesses had applied by the March 15 deadline, compared with 94.9 per cent last year and 93.8 per cent in 2011.

Registrants had to meet their 2010-12 CET requirements before they were eligible to apply for retention. Those who missed the retention deadline face an extra £20 late application fee and if they have still not applied for retention by March 31 would be removed from the Opticians Registers from April 1 and be unable to practise, the GOC said.