# GENERAL OPTICAL COUNCIL

## Details

- **Country:** England &amp; 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&amp;p_p_lifecycle=0&amp;p_p_state=maximized&amp;p_p_mode=view&amp;_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.




## 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



## Geography

- **Area of benefit:** ENGLAND AND WALES
- Northern Ireland
- Scotland
- Throughout England And Wales





## Trustees

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




