When Should an Optometrist or Dispensing Optician Do a GOC Professionalism Course?

Written and reviewed by Dr Shehzad Iqbal, MBBS, MRCS, MRCGP, Postgraduate Certificate in Healthcare Law and Ethics · Updated 10 November 2026

When to do a GOC professionalism course

The course fits an optometrist or a dispensing optician at these points:

• When a complaint reaches you or your employer about your manner, or about a complaint ignored or answered defensively.
• When a colleague raises a concern about conduct they found intimidating, or disparaging comments about them.
• When something you posted is questioned, such as a reply to an online review.
• When the GOC writes to you to say it has opened an investigation.
• After advice or a warning, to show that the point was taken and your practice has changed.
• Before any concern, when you take on supervision or lead a team.

The Standards of Practice a conduct concern turns on

The GOC’s Standards of Practice for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians took effect on 1 January 2025. There are 19 standards, “not listed in order of priority”, and the GOC says it will refer to them “when deciding if we need to take any action”. A professionalism concern draws on these standards:

• Standard 13, Show respect and fairness to others and do not discriminate. It asks you to respect colleagues’ skills, avoid disparaging comments about them, online as well, and challenge a colleague who discriminates.
• Standard 15, Maintain appropriate boundaries with others. It covers patients and colleagues alike; 15.3 rules out an “intimidating, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment” for those you work with, and 15.4 rules out sexual conduct with patients.
• Standard 10, Work collaboratively with colleagues in the interests of patients.
• Standard 17, Do not damage the reputation of your profession through your conduct, in practice or outside it, and online.
• Standard 18, Respond to complaints effectively: respond honestly, openly, politely and constructively, and apologise where it is due.

The GOC says the 2025 standards added wording on inclusive behaviour between colleagues and on boundaries, so quote the current version. For conflicts of interest and sales pressure under Standard 16, see our guide on which GOC ethics course fits a concern.

At which GOC stage the course and a reflection count

After preliminary enquiries, which the GOC calls triage, a formal investigation gathers records and witness statements and sends you that evidence with the chance to make written representations.

Two case examiners, one a registrant and one lay, then decide whether to take no further action (with or without advice), issue a warning, or refer the allegation to the Fitness to Practise Committee.

The GOC’s Guidance for Case Examiners (September 2025) says at paragraph 37 that case examiners may consider whether you have “acknowledged the concerns and shown a degree of insight”, and that steps which “may reduce the risk of repetition”, such as reflection or supervision, are relevant. It also says remediation “may be more challenging” where concerns are “serious, persistent, or attitudinal”, but that it “should not be ruled out in advance”. For a conduct concern, the reflection has to show why the behaviour mattered. Your written representations are therefore the deadline for the course. Our guide to GOC courses for a GOC concern covers the later stages.

What the GOC professionalism course covers

The course has seven sections and 33 lessons, with a post-course assessment. It covers professionalism and the GOC’s role, core duties including records, the Standards of Practice and the Standards for Optical Businesses, boundaries with patients, colleagues and online, what counts as a breach, each stage of the fitness to practise process, and how to show insight.

When a different course fits better

If the concern is about a decision rather than behaviour, such as an undeclared interest, a target or the price of an upgrade, Ethics and Ethical Standards for Optometrists and Opticians is the closer fit. If the concern is only a boundary crossed with a patient or a colleague, Professional Boundaries for Clinicians goes deeper. Unsure? See which course do I need.

Does it count as GOC CPD?

Our courses are CPD certified and accredited by The CPD Certification Service, not by the GOC or any other regulatory body, and are not GOC-approved CPD. Registrants use them for remediation. The course gives 2 CPD hours and a dated certificate.

The course for a GOC professionalism concern

Courses that sit beside it

Bulk Buy covers the £79 courses: 3 for £200, 5 for £300, 10 for £500. Not sure what to take? Book a free 15-minute call or see every guide on complaints and hearings.

The CPD courses linked from this guide, Professionalism and Professional Standards for Optometrists and Opticians, Ethics and Ethical Standards for Optometrists and Opticians, Professional Boundaries for Clinicians and Professionalism and Boundaries in Use of Social Media, are by Probity & Ethics, written by Dr Shehzad Iqbal, CPD certified and accredited by The CPD Certification Service (provider no. 13197) and offered since 2020.

Questions and answers