View from the GOC: Setting our own rules

The last major change to the Opticians Act came back in 2005. In the optical sector a lot has changed in that time and we know change is likely to be even more rapid in the future.

To meet the challenge of regulating such a fast-changing sector we have to be modern and agile. And that is why, with the Government consulting on possible regulatory reform, we are looking to modernise some of the laws that underpin how we carry out our role.

The most headline-grabbing part of Promoting Professionalism, Reforming Regulation is the Government floating the idea of regulatory mergers. Our view is that any proposed changes must be based on solid evidence of benefits to patient safety, recognise the level of rapid change in the optical sector and enable innovation.