Simon Jones: Recruitment reckoning

It’s not something likely to change the shape of optics in the UK forever, but I have noticed an interesting requirement on some of the job adverts for optometrists.

‘Clean, faultless GOC record,’ was one of the stipulations listed on the job listing. Is it legal? Yes, it is. Is it ethical? That’s where things become murkier, and it raises some potentially interesting scenarios for the profession.

Thankfully, fitness to practise sanctions handed out by the GOC are still a relatively rare occurrence but going through an investigation process is something that practitioners are always mindful of.

There are several different outcomes of a fitness to practise process that could challenge the notion of a faultless record. How would a period of conditional registration be looked upon if it appeared on a candidate’s CV? Conditional registration is a sanction that forces self-reflection and seeks to remedy areas that have been found lacking. Some would even argue such a sanction makes for a better practitioner.