- All professions
- Optometrists
- Dispensing opticians
- Optical assistants
- Orthoptists
- Ophthalmologists
- Ophthalmic nurses
- Vision rehabilitation workers
E-learning modules on sight loss awareness, deaf awareness and deafblind awareness are available to anyone, including the public, on NHS Education for Scotland's TURAS platform (anyone can set up an account by registering and creating a username and password):
Undergraduate
Following the Education Strategic Review undertaken by the General Optical Council (GOC), it updated its Education and Training (ETR) requirements for GOC-approved qualifications, with the aim of ensuring that the skills and abilities of registered optometrists and dispensing opticians remain up to date and responsive to the needs of the healthcare system. The ETR outcomes have significant implications for the training and education of optometrists and dispensing opticians across the UK.
For optometrists, instead of the current two-stage qualification and registration route (a university Honours degree, 12 months of supervised and assessed pre-registration training and then sitting a final professional body assessment), academic learning will be integrated with practice-based learning into a single registerable Masters-level qualification.
The Scottish Government is working with stakeholders (Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU), the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), NHS Education for Scotland (NES), Scottish Funding Council and the optometry profession) to design, develop and deliver plans for new five-year Masters optometry undergraduate degree courses in Scotland provided by GCU and UHI.
Further information on these changes can be found as follows:
- Letter from the Chief Optometric Advisor to the Scottish Government - September 2023
- Glasgow Caledonian University - MOptom course
- Recorded webinar - "Advancing Optometry Education in Scotland"(a transcript of the webinar can be accessed here)
Postgraduate
Information about postgraduate education and training in Scotland can be accessed on the following websites:
- NHS Education for Scotland
- The College of Optometrists
- Glasgow Caledonian University (Independent Prescribing)
- University of Edinburgh.
Information about postgraduate education and training in Scotland can be accessed on the following websites:
Information about education and training in Scotland can be accessed on the following websites:
Information about postgraduate education and training in Scotland can be accessed on the following websites:
Information about postgraduate education and training in Scotland can be accessed on The Royal College of Ophthalmologists website.
Information about postgraduate education and training in Scotland can be accessed on the following website:
Information about education and training can be accessed on the Rehabilitation Workers Professional Network website.