PSA publishes its review of the General Optical Council’s performance for 2023/24

We have published our annual performance review of the General Optical Council (GOC). During 2023/24, we monitored the GOC’s performance against the Standards of Good Regulation (the Standards).

For this period, the GOC met 18 out of the 18 Standards. Our report explains how we made our decision. 

This year, we used a new approach to assessing regulators against our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Standard. In order to meet the Standard, regulators must assure us they are delivering the four high-level outcomes supported by our new evidence matrix. The GOC met the Standard. We saw examples of good practice in the way the GOC uses its staff networks to embed EDI, the way it shares learning about EDI and widening participation through its annual education reports and the way it uses the findings of its registrant and public perceptions surveys to inform its work. We identified a small number of areas for improvement, some of which the GOC identified for itself and is already taking steps to address. We will continue to monitor the GOC’s EDI activity.

The GOC carried out several consultations this year and finalised changes to its standards for registrants and businesses. Stakeholders continue to be very positive about the way the GOC consults and works with them, including on the changes to the standards.

We have previously found the GOC’s documented process for quality assuring education programmes to be risk-based and proportionate. We received positive feedback about the process this year, but also some concerns. The concerns did not give rise to public protection risks but are similar to feedback we have received in the past. The GOC will also be transitioning to a new quality assurance process next year. We will use our periodic review next year to explore this area of the GOC’s work in more depth including the issues raised by stakeholders.

There were a small number of errors in the GOC's register this year that were concerning because they gave rise to public protection issues. The GOC acted quickly on each occasion to correct the register, investigate the causes and put measures in place to prevent and detect any further occurrences. We expect the GOC to closely monitor this area and we shall do the same through our periodic review next year.

The judgements we make against each Standard incorporate a range of evidence to form an overall picture of performance. Meeting a Standard means that we are satisfied that a regulator is performing well in that area. It does not mean there is no room for improvement. Similarly, finding that a regulator has met all of the Standards does not mean perfection. Rather, it signifies good performance in the 18 areas we assess. 

Our oversight does not stop when we publish our report. It is an ongoing, continuous process and, where we’ve identified areas for improvement, we will pay particular attention to these as we continue to monitor the GOC’s performance. 

You can find out more about the GOC’s review in our Monitoring Report. You can find out more about how we review the regulators here. 

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Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care 
Contact: media@professionalstandards.org.uk