A scathing healthcare report into the operation of a hospital trust could influence the way complaints are dealt with in optics.
The Francis Report, into serious failings at the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, has rocked healthcare and may force the General Optical Council to examine how workers express concerns about colleagues and respond to complaints from patients.
Among inquiry chairman Robert Francis' recommendations were for 'openness, transparency and candour' throughout the healthcare system when it came to matters of concern.
At last week's quarterly Council meeting the GOC decided to delay approval of its own whistleblowing policy - for people who want to raise concerns about the GOC - in light of the report.
Speaking at the meeting, optometrist Nick Rumney praised 'ahead of the game' changes to the Council's CET scheme, saying requirements such as peer review were in line with Francis' conclusions.
'This is going to demand a lot of our time over the next few years,' said GOC chief executive Samantha Peters.
Rumney, whose term as a Council member ends next month, added he was not aware of any optometrists being involved in the report, however, and warned it should not derail the Council's overall agenda.
Management accounts showed the GOC expected a £1.2m overspend for the full-year, at £6.3m, with most of this extra expenditure on fitness to practise investigations towards the end of the year.
'It is going to be a fluctuating pattern and there are going to be peaks and troughs,' said GOC director of regulation Mandie Lavin.