The unlawful use of personal information in the digital age is a hot topic at present. As we go to press, the Information Commissioner is looking into the possible misuse of millions of people’s personal information. The case, it seems to me, hinges on what safeguards are in place to ensure consent is sufficiently sought.
I have been thinking about this of late as one area of CET under the Standards of Practice competency relates to the need for full disclosure appropriate to any individual patient to ensure any given consent is from an informed position. You may have read our recent interactive CET exercise developed with Dr Nizar Hirji aimed at generating a discussion in this increasingly important area.
The discussion that has been generated by this has been impressive and I believe the format is a good way to address these issues, where a definitive answer to many questions is difficult and one has to adopt a sensible interpretation of existing case law and expert opinion.
Some readers have suggested these sorts of exercises are ‘too hard for just one point’. This week, the College of Optometrists published its response to the GOC survey regarding future education. Relating to CET, the College stated: ‘The current points-based system appears good because it forces people to do at least six points a year and 36 points over a three-year period covering the whole competency framework. However, it encourages a race to the bottom for CET providers – for example not wanting to write challenging MCQs because others write easier ones and registrants will choose those.’
I agree, though Optician has always tried to follow the enhanced CET guidance and ensured MCQs require interpretation rather than text scanning. I also agree that we are no longer in a scramble for points and, instead, should be undertaking CET that should be relevant, and in the case of consent, challenging. No giveaway points here.