The General Optical Council (GOC) today warned registrants that time is running out to renew registration for 2007/8.
All full individual and business registrants must return a completed application form and payment by 15 March or face removal from the register on 1 April. But with just over three weeks left until the deadline, only 47 per cent have applied for retention.
Deputy registrar Dian Taylor stressed that practitioners would not be renewed simply because they had paid the fee. “We must have a completed, signed application form in order to renew registration. All registrants, including those who pay their retention fee by direct debit, need to ensure that they have sent back their form and met the CET requirement, or they will be removed on 1 April.”
Registrants with a ‘shortfall’ of Continuing Education and Training (CET) points must make up the deficit by 15 March. A total of 1,554 registrants failed to meet the CET requirement by the end of the first cycle on 31 December 2006. However, over 250 have since made up their shortfall.