New optometry course turns heads

As expected the major talking point arising from this week's edition of Optician has been the arrival of a new optometry course at the University of Hertfordshire.

Concerns of an oversupply of professionals were aired months ago, before the GOC decided to give its provisional approval this week.

As further details emerge about the course, we learn it will be a little different – offering a MCOptom four year option with a focus on practical placement throughout the third and fourth years.

However, it would be fair to say that, unlike the previous arrival of an optometry course at Plymouth, Hertfordshire is not in an area short of supply from a patient perspective. Another 50 optometry graduates will be joining the jobs market from the new course as pre-regs in 2019 and optometrists in 2020.