General Optical Council

GOC facts

Site hierarchy

Our work
Registration
Funding
People
What we can comment on
What we can provide
 

 Our work

  • The General Optical Council (GOC) is the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. 
  • We currently register approximately 22,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses. 
  • The GOC was established in 1958 by a piece of legislation known as the Opticians Act (sometimes referred to as ‘the Act’). 
  • Our powers and duties are given to us by Parliament in the Act. 
  • We have four core functions:
    1. Setting the standards for optical education and training, performance and conduct.
    2. Approving qualifications leading to registration.
    3. Maintaining a register of individuals who are qualified and fit to practise, train or carry on business as optometrists and dispensing opticians.
    4. Investigating and acting where a registrant’s fitness to practise, train, or carry on business is impaired. 
  • The GOC’s mission is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education and conduct amongst opticians.
  • We are an independent national regulator. We are not part of the Department of Health or the Government. We are not a charity or professional body.

Registration

  • Optometrists and dispensing opticians must register with us to be able to practise. If they do not, they are breaking the law and may be prosecuted.
  • Optometry and dispensing optics students in the UK must also register with us. Unregistered students who carry out restricted acts (eg testing sight) may face prosecution.
  • Bodies corporate using protected titles must also register with the GOC.

Funding

People

  • Our Chairman is Rosie Varley. 
  • Our Acting Registrar and Chief Executive is Dian Taylor. 
  • There are 28 members of Council.

We can comment on:

  • The regulation of optometrists dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses, and other healthcare regulation issues. 
  • The regulation of the sale and supply of spectacles and contact lenses.

We can provide: 

  • A spokesperson to provide expert comment on optical issues eg nutrition and the eye, UV damage to eyesight.
  • Statistics about the optical workforce.

Please note: We do not hold statistics relating to eye tests.