09 April 2026
A meeting of the AOP Council on Wednesday 25 March covered Council and Board elections, an update on AOP campaign activity, as well as discussions on CPD reform and driving and vision.
OT has summarised key discussions from the meeting.
1 AOP Council role shake-up for training optometrists
The AOP Policy team introduced the new model for representation of student, newly-qualified and early career optometrists on the AOP Council. The change is set to take effect from September to align with the academic year.
Ella Latu, governance officer for the AOP, explained that the existing roles no longer felt representative of the path optometrists take through education, particularly with the changes to qualification coming through.
“We hope this will represent every stage of the optometrist journey,” Latu said.
The new model includes five positions beginning with optometrists in training one (formerly undergraduate student councillor) and optometrists in training two (formerly the pre-reg councillor role).
The current combined newly-qualified and early career councillor role will be replaced by the newly qualified one position – for individuals at exam, qualifying, and first job stage – and a newly qualified two position for individuals within their first year of qualifying, seeking employment or in the employed stage.
Finally, the early career councillor role will be a two-year tenure, renewable once.
The model is designed to support councillors to progress seamlessly between roles, with the appointments committee confirming suitability at each stage.
Councillors recognised the model as an important measure for “future-proofing” the Council by engaging with students at an early point in their careers.
2 AOP Board elections
A vacancy on the Board of the AOP has become available for an AOP Councillor.
Emma Spofforth, chair of the AOP Council, presented the key functions and operations of the AOP Board, as well as the duties of directors.
The appointment process was outlined, with elections to be held at the June AOP Council meeting.
AOP Councillors who currently also serve on the Board shared their experiences, highlighting the need to be comfortable sharing opinions while appreciating the importance of diversity of thought and keeping an open mind.
Karen Gennard, AOP Councillor representing South West England and a member of the Board, encouraged those considering applying to: “Think about the skills you have inside optometry and outside too, such as being a school governor, or on local council.”
3 CPD reform consultation
Peter Hampson, clinical and policy director at the AOP, led a discussion around the GOC’s consultation on proposed reforms to continuing professional development (CPD).
Key proposed changes include adjusting points allocation to reduce the volume of activity required, with suggestions to remove the point system, and removing barriers to self-directed CPD, as well as updating the Standards for Optical Businesses to leverage the role of business registrants in supporting CPD.
Further proposals include phasing out CPD provider audits, withdrawing the standards for CPD providers, and ending GOC approval of CPD providers.
Several Councillors expressed concerns for the proposed changes to CPD, particularly regarding the removal of provider audits and standards, considering these as an important quality assurance for CPD.
Reena Rani Anand, AOP Councillor representing the East Midlands, suggested that auditing providers helps maintain a “consistent standard of quality,” while the current system provides clear “accountability and structure.”
As a CPD provider and LOC CPD officer, she added that the CPD providers known to her who have undergone audit have described the process as straightforward and valuable in ensuring that the correct procedures are in place.
Concerns were also raised around what peer discussion could look like under the new proposals, and the risk that this could be lost under a new system, with Councillors highlighting the value of discussing with peers.
Policy briefing: The GOC’s proposals for reform to Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
The AOP’s summary – and what it means for our members
Some Councillors felt that a self-driven CPD system would require robust self-review, suggesting a risk of being too open-ended could mean direction and focus of development is lost.
Feeding back from a group discussion, Ankur Trivedi, AOP Councillor representing independent prescribing optometrists, noted that newly-qualified optometrists in particular may need careful guidance of a new self-directed CPD system, as they will not have had the experience of the previous CPD processes as a guide.
On the other hand, some Councillors pointed out the benefit of a more self-driven system for enhancing relevancy in CPD, with practitioners able to tailor learning towards their areas of specialism and practice.
4 Vision and driving consultation
Adam Sampson, CEO of the AOP, highlighted the association's many years of campaigning in the area of safe vision for driving.
The AOP has worked closely with the College of Optometrists to help steer DfT policy since the strategy was announced.
Hampson outlined the AOP’s working policy position on vision and driving.
He emphasised the AOP’s view that recent sight tests should be a requirement of holding a driving licence for all drivers, not solely targeted at older age groups.
The AOP’s position is that the checks of driver’s vision should include a vision assessment and eye health examination, with visual fields performed according to clinical discretion and based on individual cases.
These tests should be delivered by optometrists, and additional funding to provide this function, the AOP’s policy position states.
Referencing the need for optometrists to deliver this testing, Hampson explained that a patient being told only that they don’t meet the standards of vision for driving is not helpful.
Optometrists would be able to communicate the reason the patient’s vision has failed to meet the standards required and, where appropriate, what can be done to maintain their ability to drive safely.
“Optometrists offer significant value in that,” Hampson said, adding that the profession should be central to this public health intervention.
Councillors debated the merits of the test being separate to the sight test and performed by a screener, compared to forming part of a routine sight test.
Some Councillors expressed concerns that separating a vision standards for driving check away from the sight test could leave patients confused about whether they have received a full sight test, or why they require both.
Councillors debated the level of visual field required to ensure safe vision for driving, along with the appropriate timeframe for these checks to be carried out.
How these checks would be funded was a key discussion, with Councillors concurring on the need for remuneration for the additional administrative burden.
Policy briefing: Mandatory eyesight tests for older drivers
The AOP’s summary – and what it means for optometry
5 Updates from the devolved nations and across the AOP
Serena Box, head of media, PR and external affairs at the AOP, provided an update on the AOP’s advocacy and campaign work.
This included an overview of the parliamentary engagement of the AOP, which has featured a Westminster event attended by more than 30 cross-party MPs.
Box highlighted the launch of the AOP’s Eye care everywhere campaign at 100% Optical and the ways members can get involved in advocacy projects.
The Council received updates on news from Councillors representing the devolved nations, providing an opportunity to ask questions and share learnings from key developments.
The AOP Policy team also introduced the AI and Technology Resource hub, a practical tool developed from work conducted with the AOP’s AI task group, established in October 2024.
Finally, attendees acknowledged that the gathering represented Emma Spofforth’s last AOP Council meeting, showing their appreciation for the chair’s stewardship over the past three years.
Spofforth will hand over to the new Chair of the AOP Council at the Annual General Meeting in June.
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