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Advice for optical professionals on giving COVID-19 vaccines legally

Published Last updated See all updates
Topics: COVID-19 vaccineRegulatory

The different legal mechanisms to give the vaccine are described dependent on General Optical Council (GOC) registration

This article forms part of a series
  1. The legal mechanisms available for giving COVID-19 vaccines and their application
    1. Advice for allied healthcare professionals on giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
    2. Advice for dental professionals on giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
    3. Advice for doctors and physician associates on giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
    4. Advice for nursing and midwifery professionals on giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
    5. Advice for optical professionals on giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
    6. Advice for osteopaths and chiropractors on giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
    7. Advice for pharmacy professionals on giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
    8. Advice for non-registered healthcare professionals on giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
    9. Advice for programme volunteers on giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
Contents
  1. Optometrist registered with GOC (whether annotated as Independent Prescriber or not)
    1. This group can:
    2. This group cannot:
  2. Dispensing Optician registered with GOC
    1. This group can:
    2. This group cannot:
  3. Optical professional no longer registered with the GOC
    1. This group can:
    2. This group cannot:
  4. Student optical professional
    1. This group can:
    2. This group cannot:
  5. Update history

Optometrist registered with GOC (whether annotated as Independent Prescriber or not)

This group can:

  • work under the National Protocol (all stages)
  • work under the Patient Group Direction (PGD)
  • work under a PSD written by an appropriate practitioner

This group cannot:

  • act as clinical supervisor for the National Protocol under Regulation 3A
  • write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD)

Dispensing Optician registered with GOC

This group can:

  • work under the National Protocol (stages 2-4)
  • work under a PSD written by an appropriate practitioner

This group cannot:

  • act as clinical supervisor for the National Protocol under Regulation 3A
  • write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD)
  • work under the Patient Group Direction (PGD)

Optical professional no longer registered with the GOC

This group can:

  • work under the National Protocol (stages 2-4)
  • work under a PSD written by an appropriate practitioner

This group cannot:

  • act as clinical supervisor for the National Protocol under Regulation 3A
  • write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD)
  • work under the Patient Group Direction (PGD)

Student optical professional

This group can:

  • work under the National Protocol (stages 2-4)
  • work under a PSD written by an appropriate practitioner

This group cannot:

  • act as clinical supervisor for the National Protocol under Regulation 3A
  • write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD)
  • work under the Patient Group Direction (PGD)

Update history

  1. Clarification of prescribing COVID-19 vaccines
  1. Reference to Regulation 174 product removed.
  1. The current content is still accurate.
  1. Minor update regarding prescribing of licensed product by independent prescribers.
  1. Minor clarification highlighting Regulation 174 authorised product cannot be prescribed by optometrist independent prescribers.
  1. Published