Dispensing opticians and optometrists renewing their GOC subscriptions have had, for the first time, to declare that they have read and understood the new GOC Standards of Practice effective from 1 April.
An aspect of the new standards that requires their attention is section 9 – supervision. For restricted functions the supervising registrant, if delegating a task such as paediatric dispensing, must be on the premises and in a position to intervene. All parts of dispensing from handover to final collection and including any subsequent aftercare, repair or replacement are considered to form part of the supply of optical appliances. But what does ‘delegate’ mean?
If you work with optical assistants you are required, as a registrant, to ensure your colleagues ‘have appropriate qualifications, knowledge or skills to perform the delegated activity’.
Optometrists don’t delegate dispensing to DOs, they ‘hand over’; the DO assumes full responsibility and is accountable in law, but when an assistant dispenses the registrant in charge retains accountability.
If an assistant makes a mistake and a case ends up before the GOC a reasonable defence, demonstrating appropriate training, would be to present the regulator with a certificate of an approved optical retail qualification. But how can one defend oneself if it is clear the delegated task was not performed to the correct standard? By definition one would not have fulfilled one’s obligations.
Optometrists and CLOs supervising from darkened rooms might well want to reflect whether they really are in a position to intervene and all registrants should reflect on what happens in their absence.
Peter Black MBA FBDO, president, Association of British Dispensing Opticians