Statutory Instruments
2006 No. 2901
HEALTH CARE AND ASSOCIATED PROFESSIONS
OPTICIANS
The General Optical Council (Continuing Education and Training) (Amendment No 2) Rules Order of Council 2006
Made
30th October 2006
Laid before Parliament
9th November 2006
Coming into force
1st January 2007
At the Council Chambers, Whitehall the 30th day of October 2006
By the Lords of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council
The General Optical Council have made the General Optical Council (Continuing Education and Training) (Amendment No 2) Rules 2006 as set out in the Schedule to this Order.
In accordance with section 34(1) of the Opticians Act 1989(1) such Rules shall not come into force until approved by Order of the Privy Council.
Having considered the Rules, their Lordships approve them.
This Order may be cited as the General Optical Council (Continuing Education and Training)(Amendment No 2) Rules Order of Council 2006 and shall come into force on 1st January 2007.
A K Galloway
Clerk of the Privy Council
SCHEDULEThe General Optical Council (Continuing Education and Training)(Amendment No 2) Rules 2006
The General Optical Council make the following Rules in exercise of their powers under sections 11A, 11B and 31A of the Opticians Act 1989(2)
Citation and commencement
1. These Rules may be cited as the General Optical Council (Continuing Education and Training)(Amendment No 2) Rules 2006 and shall come into force on 1st January 2007.
Amendments to the General Optical Council (Continuing Education and Training) Rules 2005
2.—(1) The General Optical Council (Continuing Education and Training) Rules 2005(3) shall be amended in accordance with the following provisions of this rule.
(2) In rule 2 (interpretation), for the definition of “relevant period” substitute—
““relevant period” means each period of three years, commencing with 1st January 2007”.
(3) In rule 6 (fee payable for application to be a listed provider), for “£35”, substitute “£45”.
(4) For rule 13(4) (requirement to obtain specialist CET points), substitute—
“(4) If the required number of specialist CET points, as determined in accordance with paragraph (2) or (3), would include any fraction of a whole number, the required number of specialist CET points shall be the nearest whole number below the number so determined”
(5) For rule 25(2) (restoration and registration), substitute—
“(2) In the case of an application to which paragraph (1) applies, an applicant must have obtained—
(a)12 general CET points in the 12 months prior to the month in which the application is received; or
(b)if the first entry of the applicant’s name in the register of optometrists or in the register of dispensing opticians was made in the 12 months preceding the month in which the application is received, a number of general CET points equivalent to the number of whole months between (and not including) the month in which that first entry was made and the month in which the application is received.”.
(6) For rule 26(2), substitute—
“(2) In the case of an application to which paragraph (1) applies, an applicant must have obtained—
(a)6 specialist CET points in the 12 months prior to the month in which the application is received; or
(b)if the first entry relating to the specialty against the applicant’s name in the register of optometrists or in the register of dispensing opticians was made in the 12 months preceding the month in which the application is received, a number of specialist CET points equivalent to half the number of whole months between (and not including) the month in which that first entry was made and the month in which the application is received.
(3) If the number of specialist CET points which must have been obtained, as determined in accordance with paragraph (2), would include any fraction of a whole number, the number of specialist CET points which must have been obtained shall be the nearest whole number below the number so determined.”.
Revocation of the General Optical Council (Continuing Education and Training)(Amendment) Rules 2006.
3. The General Optical Council (Continuing Education and Training) (Amendment) Rules 2006 are revoked (4).
Given under the official seal of the General Optical Council on the 22nd day of June 2006.
Attested by:
G Harris
Chairman of Registration Committee
D Pyle
Chairman of Education Committee
P.C. Coe
Registrar
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order approves Rules made by the General Optical Council, which amend those approved by the General Optical Council (Continuing Education and Training)(Amendment) Rules Order of Council 2005 (“the principal Rules”).
The amendments change the period of calculation for the required continuing education and training points from one year to three years, increase the fee to be paid by those persons wishing to provide continuing education and training courses to £45 from £35 and set out the requirements imposed upon an applicant for the restoration of his name to a register or for the restoration of an entry relating to a specialty. They also clarify rule 13 of the principal Rules.
1989 c.44; Sections 11A, 11B and 31A were inserted by S.I. 2005/848.
These rules were made by the General Optical Council on 23 March 2006, but were not approved by the Privy Council.