04 March 2026
The General Optical Council (GOC) has met all 18 of the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) Standards of Good Regulation for the fourth consecutive year, according to the PSA’s latest annual performance review.
The report, covering 1 January to 31 December 2025, confirmed that the regulator met all of the PSA’s standards across the four regulatory domains, including guidance and standards, education and training, registration, and fitness to practise.
The PSA highlighted areas of notable performance during 2024–25, including the GOC’s ongoing commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). This included adopting a broader definition of vulnerability in its new Care of patients in vulnerable circumstances guidance and the continued work of its Unfair Outcomes Working Group.
The PSA also highlighted the GOC’s public engagement as part of its consultation on business regulation, where research was undertaken to gather a wide range of views to inform final proposals.
In education and training, the PSA recognised the evaluation of the impact of the GOC’s new CPD scheme, with learning identified to inform future cycles. It also noted the extension of the contract for the Sector Partnership for Optical Knowledge and Education (SPOKE) Knowledge Hub.
The review reports sustained performance in tackling illegal practice. The GOC closed all illegal practice cases within six months of receipt during the review period and closed more cases than it received each month.
Median timeframes in fitness to practise investigations were also recognised. The GOC said it will continue efforts to improve timeliness further through its fitness to practise improvement programme, in line with commitments set out in its Strategic Plan 2025–2030.
Dr Anne Wright CBE, chair of the GOC’s council, welcomed the findings.
“I am pleased that the PSA’s latest report recognises the hard work of everyone across the GOC… which has ensured we continue to meet all 18 of the Standards of Good Regulation,” she said.
Wright said that the report highlights the GOC’s ongoing commitment to EDI as well as the work undertaken to increase timeliness in closing illegal practice cases since introducing an updated illegal practice protocol in 2022.
“We will also carefully consider the recommendations made by the PSA to make further improvements,” Wright commented.
Leonie Milliner, GOC chief executive and registrar, added: “I am delighted that for the fourth year in a row we have met all 18 of the PSA’s Standards of Good Regulation.
“Meeting the standards provides patients and the public, our registrants and stakeholders assurance that we are on the right path to delivering safe and effective eye care for all.”
Milliner added: “We will continue to develop our people and continuously improve our systems and processes to ensure we meet the standards as we enter the second year of our 2025–30 corporate strategy, and as the PSA works to introduce new Standards of Good Regulation.”
The full performance review is available on the PSA website.
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