An independent review has deemed the General Optical Council's revised CET scheme as fit for purpose.
The new cycle, from January 2013, will include requirements to undertake peer review, complete at least six CET points overall per year, and conduct CET across all competencies.
A draft report on the changes was presented to Council members during a quarterly meeting at the Royal Institute of British Architects headquarters.
Relocation of the 'increasingly constrained accommodation in Harley Street' was also addressed at the meeting. The GOC has targeted 6,400 square feet of usable space compared to 5,300 square feet currently, with a shorter-term solution of using upper floors at Harley Street also possible.
The regulator's 2011/12 performance report showed 150 fitness to practise cases were opened during the period, compared to the 148 received last year. Newly appointed director of regulation Mandie Lavin, said: 'Whilst we are not experiencing the hike in cases other regulators are, we are seeing an increase in the complexity of cases.'
There was a £370,000 under-spend on fitness to practise investigations during the year, while total GOC annual expenditure stood at around £5m, representing a £778,000 under-spend.
Meanwhile, the GOC has received two responses - from the Optical Confederation and an individual registrant - to its second consultation on fitness to practise reforms, which ended on April 30.
GOC chief executive and registrar Samantha Peters said: 'It is a testament to us as an organisation that we have consulted so thoroughly all the way along with these reforms.'
The organisation may now take a leaf out of medicine and dentistry books by training up case examiners in advance of the reform. 'That sort of thing is quite innovative and we are going to have to take a similar approach,' added Lavin.