The College of Optometrists

• The following additional paragraph should have been inserted between existing 2.9 and 2.10, to read:
  

2.10 Practitioners may sometimes be asked to transfer patient information, such as the results of a previous consultation to another practitioner. The exchange of limited information, such as the patient’s visual acuity or unusual ocular finding, between qualified health professionals for the purpose of patient care is considered to be in the patient’s best interests and as such does not require written patient consent. The supplying practitioner is advised to keep a note of such requests in the patient’s record, together with the reason for acceding to the request.

All paragraphs following this one are re-numbered accordingly.

• Section 28 – title should read Contact Lens Fitting: The New Wearer 
•  insert 28.03 h)
  
  h) Optometrists should not recommend a wearing schedule to a patient contrary to the manufacturer’s labelling instructions, which are based on the terms of the product licence, unless there are exceptional circumstances. The advice given to the patient, and the reasons for it should be noted on the patient’s record card.

Sections 31 and 39, here on the College website, replace those previously issued.

Members are reminded that the most up to date version of the College’s Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Professional Conduct can always be found on the College’s website