Optometrist subject 2 - Professional conduct

We continue our look at GOC core competencies by addressing the second of the core subjects which relates to professional conduct. As can be seen from the list below, the categories relating to optometry are quite broad and less specific than those for the second core subject for dispensing opticians as will be seen next week

Core subject 2 relates to an understanding of professional conduct and the legal aspects of professional practice:

To expand on these points there are two areas that are key: the ability to make a clinical judgement and convey this, and the ability to record this adequately.

PRESCRIBING
The optometrist is legally bound to issue the patient with a confirmation of their refractive correction, if any, and a note as to the need for any further medical assessment if the eyes were found to be less than healthy.

This 'prescription' needs to be dated, signed and have details of the prescribing practice on it. It is important to remember that the final prescription might be adapted in some way from the final refractive error measurement, for example: