Optometrists, dispensing opticians and optical businesses have just six days, until March 15, to apply for retention with the General Optical Council before a late payment charge of £20 is applicable. As Optician went to press, 71 per cent of registrants had applied for retention, which can be accessed on the MyGOC section on the GOC's website, www.optical.org. Those who fail to apply by March 31 will be removed from GOC registers and will not be allowed to practise in the UK.
A higher scholarship scheme offering funding of up to £2,000 per year has been launched by City University London. The Lord Mayor of London Scholarship Scheme is open to undergraduate students in the UK and Ireland who achieve AAB grades or above at A-level or equivalent, starting from September 2012. The non-means-tested scholarship will be given to students in January of their first year and those who maintain a high level of achievement will continue to be rewarded each year.
The lingering stigma of NHS glasses and the history of spectacles were two of the topics discussed by The College museum curator Neil Handley on the BBC One's A Picture of Health recently. Several shots from the museum were used, as well as news clips filmed in 1963 at the former headquarters of the British Optical Association. Presenter Larry Lamb and his guest, actor Derek Fowlds, then discussed the changing attitudes towards eyewear.
A Level 7 certificate in Optical Care for Optical Assistants in Scotland has been launched by the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers (WCSM) and NHS Education for Scotland (NES). Training is delivered through a mix of distance learning and two practical workshops ? each lasting two days. The course, from April to December, ends with a written exam. Enrolment is now underway through the WCSM. Full funding from NES is available to 25 optical assistants working in practices contracted to provide general ophthalmic service in Scotland.