SPOKE publishes new supervision resources

Resources to support supervision in optical education and training programmes have been developed by the Sector Partnership for Optical Knowledge and Education (SPOKE).

The project reviewed, expanded and enhanced existing SPOKE supervision guidance to support providers in meeting the GOC’s Education and Training Requirements (ETR).

Resources include updated supervision guidance covering all routes to registration, including optometry, dispensing optics, and contact lens optician qualifications.

This guidance reflects recent changes to qualification structures and includes new guidance for specialist qualifications – particularly independent prescribing pathways, along with information to support supervisors and learners.

A need for greater consistency in how staff-to-student ratios are understood and applied across institutions was identified, leading to the development of a new benchmark statement, agreed by sector representatives.

SPOKE shared that, rather than recommending a single fixed ratio, the new framework adopts a risk-based approach: “recognising that different learning activities require different levels of supervision to ensure both patient safety and high-quality learning experiences.”

SPOKE webpages have also been revised with information and practical guidance for supervisors, including frequently asked questions and advice for educational and workplace settings.

Professor Lizzy Ostler, director of education at The College of Optometrists, commented: “Effective supervision is fundamental to patient safety and to the development of confident, competent future practitioners.”

“These resources bring together extensive sector expertise and consensus to provide practical guidance for providers, supervisors and employers supporting learners across all optical qualifications,” she continued.

Paying tribute to the stakeholders who contributed to the project, Ostler shared that their input has helped to create resources that “recognise both the opportunities and challenges facing optical education providers and will support consistency and quality across the sector.”

Steve Brooker, director of regulatory strategy at the General Optical Council (GOC), said: “With record numbers undertaking GOC approved qualifications, the role of supervisors in supporting students on their journey – whether beginning their optical careers or seeking specialty registration – is more important than ever.”

The new guidance will reflect the current education landscape and best practice, he acknowledged.

Brooker explained: “The GOC’s education standards require qualifications to be taught with an appropriate student: staff ratio, which must be benchmarked to comparable provision."

These requirements protect the public by ensuring safe supervision and training of students to produce competent practitioners.

He said: “Education providers tell us that the current funding climate is putting student: staff ratios under pressure, so we hope this new benchmark statement, which has been developed and agreed by sector representatives, will support them to meet our standards.”

This marks the completion of the first project delivered under the new SPOKE contract, which began in August 2025 and runs until 2028.