GOC approves SPOKE projects

The General Optical Council (GOC) has approved the final projects led by the Sector Partnership for Optical Knowledge and Education (SPOKE) under its initial contract.

The cross-sector collaboration was launched to support the academic community in meeting the updated requirements for optometry and ophthalmic dispensing qualifications, and in specialist qualifications.

The latest projects include Fitness to train and reasonable adjustments, which considers the relationships between ‘fitness to train,’ reasonable adjustments, and suspension of studies in education settings, as well as the equivalent processes in employment settings.

The report looks at the importance of supporting those with disabilities and championing diversity, the GOC shared, whilst considering “where the borderlines lie regarding patient safety.”

The report summarises the themes identified during SPOKE network discussions, including robust systems and entry requirements, mental health and undeclared issues, assessing new and chronic health conditions, fitness to practise timelines, confidentiality and data protection, academic misconduct, reasonable adjustments, and assessment of communication outcomes.

The Getting the most from the multi-disciplinary team project features an online toolkit developed in collaboration with sector stakeholders and through desk-based research that aims to showcase good practice in enabling learners to integrate within multidisciplinary teams at each stage of their journey to registration.

Each page of the toolkit addresses different learning stages, progressing from theory to active clinical practice via safe experiential learning environments to develop confidence and competence.

A project for specialist qualifications, titled Inclusive education for specialist qualifications, looks at how learners from varied educational and experiential backgrounds can be best supported as they pursue specialist qualifications by identifying the challenges they face and suggesting the tools available to help them succeed.

Professor Lizzy Ostler, director of education for The College of Optometrists, explained that the projects highlight and address “the diverse opportunities and challenges resulting from the implementation of the GOC’s Education and Training Requirements.”

Sector stakeholders have “continued to grow in their enthusiasm and engagement” throughout SPOKE, Ostler said, with the projects benefiting from the input of employers, course teams, and sector representative bodies.

Steve Brooker, director of regulatory strategy at the GOC, said that the final outputs of SPOKE’s programme of activities and projects for optometry and dispensing optics and specialist qualifications will “aid providers in addressing fitness to train concerns without compromising patient safety, benefit learners to develop their experience of working in multidisciplinary teams to ensure effective patient care, as well as supporting learners with varied backgrounds to acquire specialist qualifications.”

SPOKE is a cross-sector collaboration funded by the GOC and led by The College of Optometrists, with a steering group involving representatives from the Association of British Dispensing Opticians and the Optometry Schools Council.

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GOC extends Knowledge Hub until July 2028

The hub will support education providers in implementing the Education and Training Requirements as the first student cohort approach graduation

The Knowledge Hub, operated by SPOKE, has been extended for a further three years until July 2028.

Brooker thanked stakeholders for their contribution to SPOKE’s work, sharing: “Collaboration has been a key ingredient in implementing the education and training reforms and SPOKE has played a pivotal role in this.”

“Work remains to complete a successful transition to the new education and training system,” he added.

Ostler said: “The steering group is delighted to be continuing to lead this important work via SPOKE and look forward to starting work on Project 1 of SPOKE (2025–2028).”