AOP invites member feedback on GOC paper exploring fee changes

Member insights will shape the AOP’s response on the GOC’s proposed reform to fees

The Association of Optometrists (AOP) has launched a member survey to gather views on the General Optical Council’s (GOC) discussion paper on how registrant fees should be set as part of the GOC’s 2025-30 corporate strategy.

The GOC is reviewing its approach in light of continuing financial pressures on businesses and individuals, with the aim of ensuring that registration fees remain proportionate and fair to registrants.

The paper explores the extent to which fees should vary between different groups based on the predicted cost of regulating them. Options under consideration include lower fees for dispensing opticians, newly qualified practitioners, registrants on parental or other forms of leave, and those on low incomes, alongside higher fees for specialists.

The survey invites members to share their views on the current system and on the potential impact of a more flexible, tiered structure. It also looks at the experiences of paying registration fees and the challenges faced in the current economic climate.

Dr Peter Hampson, AOP Clinical and Policy Director, said: “The paper raises important questions on how the cost of regulation should be shaped, and we want to ensure that the profession’s voice is central to the discussions. By taking part in the survey, members can help ensure the GOC’s approach is balanced and sensitive to the circumstances of registrants.”

The member survey is open until 15 June and feedback will inform the AOP’s response to the GOC.

The GOC discussion paper is open for responses until 20 July.

See our original story on Opchat News