Qualifications for Contact Lens Opticians

In March 2022, our Council approved new education and training requirements for GOC-approved qualifications in Contact Lens.

The new Requirements, effective from 1 April 2022, can be seen below:

Requirements for Approved Qualifications for Contact Lens Opticians

Applying for, or adapting, to the new requirements

If you are seeking to gain approval or to adapt an existing qualification in Contact Lens, please first contact the Education Team via education@optical.org to discuss the process and for further information.

All the documents and associated forms and templates that you will need for this process are available below.

Forms

Seeking GOC approval for a qualification

The merged application form can be used by all prospective providers seeking GOC approval for a qualification, regardless of speciality:

• Merged application form
• Merged application form guidance

Whilst we encourage providers to use the new merged application form, we will still accept submissions using the previous Form 1A, 1B, or 1C versions.   

The previous Form 1C can be found below should prospective providers in Optometry and Dispensing Optics prefer to complete this version:

• Form 1C (for contact lens)

Adapting an existing GOC approved qualification

The merged adaptation form can be used by all providers looking to submit their qualification adaptation, regardless of profession or speciality:

• Merged adaptation form 
• Merged adaptation form guidance

Whilst we encourage providers to use the new merged adaptation form, we will still accept submissions using the previous Form 2A, 2B, or 2C versions.  

The previous Form 2C can be found below should existing providers of currently approved qualifications in Optometry or Dispensing Optics prefer to complete this version:

• Form 2C (for contact lens)

Declaration of Closure Form 

To ensure the Education department have a clear understanding and oversight of provider plans for all existing handbook qualifications, we will now be asking you to complete a Declaration of Closure form. This has been developed with the expectation that providers will complete the form to evidence their plans for teaching out any iterations of a qualification(s) that will not be adapted to the ETRs. This form will also be available for you to complete for the closure, suspension or teaching out of any qualifications and not just for those adapting. 

• Declaration of Closure form
• Declaration of Closure form guidance

Evidence Framework

The Evidence Framework provides guidance for providers of approved qualifications, Education Visitors, the GOC Education Team and decision-makers:

GOC Evidence Framework

Templates

The following are a series of submission templates, designed to support current or prospective providers of GOC-approved qualifications to record and submit evidence to demonstrate how they meet, or intend to meet, the Standards for Approved Qualifications and Outcomes for Approved Qualifications outlined in the Requirements (1 April 2023):

Templates Library & Guidance

Template 1 - Introduction to Qualification

Template 2 - Criteria Narrative

Template 3 - Qualification Diagram

Template 4 - Assessment Strategy

Template 5 - Module Outcome Map

Template 6 - Outcomes Narrative

Template 7 - List of Supplementary Documentation

Template 8 - Programme History

Decision form

This form will be used internally by the GOC to track decisions for qualifications seeking to gain GOC approval. This applies to new qualifications and existing qualifications being adapted to the new requirements:

Decision Form