Registrants required to declare all convictions

The General Optical Council has clarified its requirements for declaring information as part of an application for registration or for renewal or restoration of registration.

The issue over whether practitioners should sign a declaration sheet for matters including previous convictions and professional indemnity insurance was raised by the optical bodies with the GOC and referred to the Registration Committee for consideration.

The GOC said this week that following a meeting of the Committee it was decided that practitioners completing an application form must declare any conviction, caution or investigation in relation to a criminal offence.

Road traffic offences must also be declared except in the case of fixed penalties, as such matters do not constitute a criminal conviction.