The Opticians Act 1989 (Amendment) Order 2005

Education and training

15.  For section 12 (approval of training institutions and qualifications) substitute—

“Education and training

12.— (1) The Council shall from time to time establish—

(a) the competencies which a person must be able to demonstrate in order to be granted a qualification as an optometrist or a dispensing optician; and

(b) the content and the standard of education and training (including practical experience) required for the purpose of achieving those competencies.

(2) The Council must consult and seek advice from—

(a) the Standards Committee before establishing the competencies specified in subsection (1)(a) above;

(b) the Education Committee before establishing the requirements specified in subsection (1)(b) above.

(3) The competencies and requirements established under subsection (1) above shall be published by the Council from time to time in such form as appears to the Council to be appropriate.

(4) The Standards Committee and the Education Committee—

(a) must respectively keep under review the competencies and requirements established under subsection (1) above; and

(b) must each advise the Council if they consider changes to be necessary.

(5) The Council must take into account any advice received from the Standards Committee and the Education Committee under subsection (4) above and must, if the Council consider it appropriate to do so, establish and publish revised competencies or requirements.

(6) The Council must ensure that those establishments approved by the Council under subsection (7)(a) below who are engaged in the education, training or assessment of optometrists or dispensing opticians are notified of—

(a) the competencies and requirements established under subsections (1) and (5) above; and

(b) the requirements for the approval of any form of assessment under subsection (7)(b) below.

(7) The Council may approve—

(a) establishments where the instruction given to persons receiving education or training as optometrists or as dispensing opticians appears to the Council to be such as to provide them with adequate knowledge and skills to achieve the competencies for the practice of their profession;

(b) a qualification as an optometrist or a dispensing optician granted to candidates following success in an examination or other form of assessment which in the Council’s opinion indicates that the candidate has attained all the competencies for the time being established under subsections (1)(a) and (5) above; and

(c) any test of a candidate’s competency in, or knowledge of, the English language carried out by an educational establishment on candidates seeking entry to courses for optometrists or dispensing opticians offered by that establishment.

(8) If—

(a) an establishment referred to in subsection (7)(a) above is outside the United Kingdom; or

(b) a qualification referred to in subsection (7)(b) above is granted by an establishment which is outside the United Kingdom,

the Council may, before determining whether to give their approval, commission others to advise and report on the suitability of the establishment or qualification.

(9) The Council may also approve—

(a) establishments which provide only some of the education or training; or

(b) qualifications which meet only some of the requirements,

needed to achieve the competencies referred to in subsection (1)(a) above.

(10) The Council must from time to time publish, in such form (including electronic form) as they consider appropriate, a list of establishments and qualifications approved by them, indicating the purposes for which the approval was granted.

(11) Subsections (1) to (10) above shall apply in relation to specialties and proficiencies specified under section 10(1A) above as they apply in relation to qualifications as an optometrist or a dispensing optician.”.