GOC v Mr AP (Interim order)

A decision of the Fitness to Practise Committee of the General Optical Council dated the 30 June 2010

GOC v Mr AP (Interim order)

The Fitness to Practise Committee considered an application for an Interim Order. The Committee considered that it was necessary to make an interim order for the protection of the public. The Committee came to this decision having considered all the evidence before it and noted that the registrant had a previously unblemished record.

Concerns had been raised regarding the practise of the registrant in a number of cases over a six month period:

• Patients’ history and symptoms not being identified or recorded;
• Incorrect prescriptions being issued to patients;
• No record of recommendations outlined to patients;
• Lack of detection of a potential glaucoma case;
• Lack of notes relating to those patients whose visual acuity fell beneath the required legal standard for driving.

The Committee considered that its concerns could properly be met by the imposition of conditions for 18 months. Conditions included the registrant placing himself under the supervision of a specified supervisor approved by the registrar. The supervisor is to provide reports to the Registrar every three months providing details of any progression or regression in the following areas of practise:

• Record keeping;
• Glaucoma/ visual fields assessment;
• Patient communication;