Most DOs have not yet earned enough CET

With just 11 weeks to go, more than half of registered dispensing opticians have yet to earn enough CET points to meet the General Optical Council’s requirements.

Figures published this week by the GOC revealed that just 45 per cent of DOs compared to 69 per cent of optometrists and 57 per cent of contact lens opticians have so far earned – and confirmed – the required 36 CET points ahead of December 31 2006.

A total of 15,785 practitioners are now registered on cetoptics.com. Just over 500 practitioners have still not registered on the Vantage site.

Practitioners who do not meet CET requirements have a ‘grace period’ of 10 weeks to make up points or risk being struck off the register. Vantage, the company that manages the CET programme, will refer professionals without enough points to the GOC by January 14 with letters sent to individuals warning that they have until March 15 to make up the shortfall (News, Janury 20, 2006).

Commenting on the high number of dispensers who still need to earn enough points, ABDO vice-president Barry Duncan said: ‘We certainly hope more people will be adding to their CET points. Many areas are putting on meetings over the coming months and there are plenty of opportunities for DOs to fulfil the requirement.’

The GOC has also published a document on its website detailing the principles and requirements for the CET programme from January 1 2007, with an increased emphasis on flexibility, gaining extra points and splitting CET into levels.

GOC director of education Dian Taylor said: ‘The amendments are all about making sure practitioners get the most out of the scheme in terms of learning outcomes, without making it too restrictive to cater for individual needs and circumstances. Feedback from the professions has been central to making these improvements.’

Amendments include a more flexible definition of the learning hour, allowing up to three speakers in a related subject area to present during one session.There will be more points for workshops, meaning that two not one CET point will be awarded per learning hour.