13 September 2024
The 2024 GOC Registrant Workforce and Perceptions Survey has found that optometrists and dispensing opticians continue to face challenging working conditions.
This year’s survey was completed by 4575 optometrists and dispensing opticians – comprising around 15% of the registrant population.
Half of respondents to the annual survey reported that they had experienced harassment, bullying or abuse over the past year, while close to a third (31%) reported experiencing discrimination over the same period.
The survey found that members of the public were the main source of harassment, bullying and abuse. However, one in five respondents reported experiencing this type of behaviour from colleagues or managers.
Both respondents who experienced harassment, bullying or abuse, and those who experienced discrimination, reported more difficulties in providing patients with adequate care.
The survey found that job satisfaction dipped from 62% in 2023 to 58% in 2024, while dissatisfaction rose from 20% in 2023 to 25% in 2024.
When asked about career development opportunities, more than half (55%) reported having opportunities to progress in their career, while 46% said they felt supported to develop their potential.The most common reported barriers to career development were time constraints, costs, and lack of employer support.
GOC director of regulatory strategy, Steve Brooker, shared that there was a link between challenging working conditions and plans to leave the profession – with 16% of those surveyed planning to leave the profession within two years.
“Our latest registrant survey has highlighted the impact that challenging work conditions can have on optometrists’ and dispensing opticians’ ability to deliver safe patient care,” he said.
He described data last year outlining high levels of harassment, bullying and abuse within the profession as “a wakeup call for the sector.”
“It’s disturbing that incidence has remained just as high in 2024. The joint sector statement we published last year with membership bodies and employers committing to a zero-tolerance approach to these behaviours was a useful first signal of intent, but as a sector we now need to collectively step up and make practical changes to create fairer and more inclusive working environment,” Brooker emphasised.
A GOC Standards Review, to go before its council for approval in September, will require optical businesses to put in place support for registrants who have experienced discrimination, bullying or harassment in the workplace.
Comments (2)
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Anonymous19 September 2024
It's not surprising. The profession is pushing for us to more and more, take on additional roles and further our qualifications - essentially adding more responsibilities.
Corporations seem to be forever pushing for shorter testing times and higher conversions to both recoup the loss of providing NHS sight tests for the stagnant GOS fee and maximising their profits.
It's no wonder the ones caught in the middle are overwhelmed and burning out. It would be greatly appreciated if our professional bodies could push for businesses to do more to help absorb these increased responsibilities being expected of us instead of further pushing for us to accept more responsibilities in an already overstretched and underfunded sector.
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hilaryandmichael16 September 2024
as per the merchant of venice play-a pound of flesh has become 25 pounds and if you can acheive that then the sky is the limit especially in the corporate world
to sup with the devil you need a long handled spoon!
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