ABDO launches syllabus review

The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) is calling for feedback from across the profession as it launches a review of the syllabus of its FBDO qualification to ensure that student dispensing opticians are prepared for the roles of the future.

ABDO’s Level 6 diploma in ophthalmic dispensing enables students to register with the GOC and practise using the protected title of ‘dispensing optician’. The syllabus sets out which areas students study, and the depth and breadth of what they study in each area.

Dispensing opticians’ future roles are likely to be affected by a range of factors, including the growing number of older people in the UK, the increasing prevalence of childhood myopia, increased delivery of eye care in community practice rather than in hospital, the opportunity for dispensing opticians to carry out the refraction element of a sight test, the increasing use of technology in community practice and the growing focus on preventative healthcare.

As a result, a number of areas might need to be added to the FBDO syllabus or covered in greater depth. There is a limit to how much material can be included in the syllabus, so ABDO is also seeking views on what should be no longer covered or covered in less detail.

ABDO President Jo Holmes says, “ABDO is working on the syllabus review with the aim of giving our students an excellent baseline with our FBDO qualification. This qualification should continue to open up many opportunities for our students once they qualify that can then be built on, including in areas like paediatrics, myopia management, low vision and refraction. We are offering sectors of the profession as well as patients and the public the opportunity to comment on the syllabus review and what the priorities should be in their view for student dispensing opticians of the future. We want to ensure that the profession can evolve to meet future needs, and the syllabus is key to this. Please share your views.”

Read the consultation paper and share your response to the consultation at https://www.abdo.org.uk/regulation-and-policy/syllabus-review/.

The consultation closes on 22 July 202