# GENERAL OPTICAL COUNCIL

## Details

- **Country:** England & Wales
- **Charity number:** 1150137
- **Status:** Registered
- **Legal form:** Other
- **Registered:** Dec. 12, 2012
- **Register:** https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/?p_p_id=uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=view&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_regId=1150137


## Contact

- **Address:** General Optical Council, Part Floor 29, 1 Canada Square, LONDON
- **Postcode:** E14 5AA
- **Phone:** 020 7580 3898
- **Email:** goc@optical.org
- **Website:** www.optical.org



## Activities

**Objects:** TO PROMOTE AND MAINTAIN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BY PROMOTING HIGH STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION, CONDUCT AND PERFORMANCE AMONG OPTOMETRISTS AND DISPENSING OPTICIANS, AND THOSE TRAINING TO BE OPTOMETRISTS AND DISPENSING OPTICIANS, AND IN PARTICULAR: (A) BY THE MAINTENANCE OF REGISTERS OF THE NAMES OF PERSONS WHO ARE FIT TO PRACTISE AS OPTOMETRISTS OR DISPENSING OPTICIANS, OR TO UNDERTAKE TRAINING TO ENABLE THEM TO BECOME OPTOMETRISTS OR OPTICIANS;(B) BY DEFINING, CREATING AND MAINTAINING AN EFFECTIVE STRUCTURE FOR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING AMONG OPTOMETRISTS AND DISPENSING OPTICIANS AND AMONG PERSONS SEEKING TO QUALIFY AS OPTOMETRISTS OR DISPENSING OPTICIANS, AND SUPERVISING THE PROVISION OF SUCH EDUCATION AND TRAINING;(C) BY ENSURING THAT ONLY THOSE WHO ARE FIT TO PRACTISE AS OPTOMETRISTS OR DISPENSING OPTICIANS, OR TO TRAIN FOR SUCH PRACTICE, IN FACT DO SO;(D) BY THE PROVISION OF APPROPRIATE ADVICE AND GUIDANCE TO THOSE WHO ARE FIT TO PRACTISE AS OPTOMETRISTS OR DISPENSING OPTICIANS, OR TO TRAIN FOR SUCH PRACTICE.

**Activities:** We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK.  Our statutory role is to protect and promote the health and safety of members of the public by promoting high standards of professional education, conduct and performance among our registrants. We currently register around 26,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses.

**Area of benefit:** ENGLAND AND WALES




## Classification

- **How:** Provides Services, Provides Advocacy/advice/information, Sponsors Or Undertakes Research
- **What:** Education/training, The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
- **Who:** Other Defined Groups, The General Public/mankind



## Areas of operation

- Northern Ireland
- Scotland
- Throughout England And Wales



## Finances

| Period end | Income | Expenditure | Assets | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2025 | £12176749 | £13110337 | £7995000 | 112 |
| March 31, 2024 | £11227000 | £11971000 | £8735000 | 104 |
| March 31, 2023 | £10340000 | £10538000 | £8857000 | 102 |
| March 31, 2022 | £10037000 | £9493000 | £9613000 | 87 |
| March 31, 2021 | £11681000 | £8593000 | £8627000 | 83 |



## Trustees

- Catherine Yelf — appointed April 1, 2025
- Dr Anne Wright CBE — appointed Feb. 17, 2021
- Frank Munro — appointed July 5, 2021
- Kalwant Singh Grewal — appointed Feb. 1, 2026
- Kathryn Ann Foreman — appointed Oct. 1, 2024
- LISA GERSON — appointed May 1, 2021
- Poonam Sharma — appointed April 1, 2025
- Professor Hema Radhakrishnan — appointed March 15, 2024
- Raymond Curran — appointed April 1, 2025
- Ros Leveson — appointed April 1, 2025
- Timothy Parkinson — appointed April 16, 2020
- William Stockdale — appointed Jan. 1, 2023