Optometrist ignored GOC requests

A General Optical Council fitness to practise committee has suspended Whitland-based optometrist Keith Coakham from its register for 12 months. 

In a private hearing, held without Coakham present, the committee ruled his fitness to practise was impaired by reason of misconduct after multiple failures to engage with GOC enquiries.  

Coakham, who was represented at the hearing, failed to respond to 12 emails, four posted letters and two phone calls from the GOC between March and November 2021 in an attempt to gain his consent to the regulator obtaining records from the DVLA.