The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) has asked its members to urgently respond to the GOC’s Education and Standards Review.
ABDO members have expressed concern over the new minimum education standard of Level 5 when the majority of them and dispensing opticians have achieved Level 6, a lack of innovation in the review regarding refraction service delivery and proposals to make all exams internal, which could result in lower standards due a lack of independent and rigorous assessments.
Clive Marchant, ABDO’s president, said: ‘We at ABDO are appalled at the prospect and hugely disappointed that a golden opportunity has been turned into a regressive and disheartening exercise. We will challenge this direction of travel and do everything possible to persuade the GOC to avoid such a disastrous move. Our principle concern is that patient safety should be the priority, and this can only be delivered by a properly trained and independently assessed professional.’