The clinical placement

You must have been practising in the UK and registered with the GOC for two full years before beginning the clinical placement. During the placement, you must complete a clinical logbook to demonstrate learning outcomes have been achieved. You will be required to see a sufficient number of patients presenting with the conditions that you will manage therapeutically. 

Your clinical placement will be in a hospital eye service (or in a specialist general practice) under the overall supervision of a designated ophthalmologist, approved by the College. 

You must complete a minimum of 24 x 3 hour sessions in the HES or specialist general practice. These can be divided into:

  • a minimum of 11 x 3 hour of face-to-face sessions (45%)
  • a maximum of 13 x 3 hour sessions in remote or virtual clinics (55%)

All remote or virtual sessions must generate evidence of activities relevant to the GOC-specified learning outcomes. Each session, whether face-to-face or remote, must be signed off by a designated ophthalmic practitioner. This practitioner must:

  • Have at least two years post-specialist qualification experience and be listed on the appropriate regulator’s register as such
  • Be working under the supervision of the designated ophthalmologist
  • Be approved by The College of Optometrists to undertake this role

For the purposes of College approval, the designated ophthalmic practitioner must either be:

  • An IP-qualified optometrist who has at least two years’ experience as an IP-qualified optometrist and is listed on the GOC register as such

Or:

  • A GMC registered doctor currently engaged on, and at least two years into, an ophthalmic-specialty training programme, listed on the GMC register as such

The overall review mentor (designated ophthalmologist) retains the overall responsibility to sign off the clinical placement logbook. 

What is the purpose of the clinical placement?

Within the context of the relevant specialism the period of practice-based learning (clinical placement) should ensure that you:

  • are competent in the assessment, diagnosis and management of the ophthalmic conditions for which you intend to prescribe
  • are able to recognise sight-threatening conditions that should be referred
  • are able to consult effectively with patients
  • are able to monitor the response to treatment, to review both the working diagnosis and to modify treatment, refer, consult or seek guidance, as appropriate
  • can make clinical decisions based on, and with reference to, the needs of the patient
  • are aware of your own limitations
  • critically analyse and evaluate your ongoing performance in relation to prescribing practice

Clinical placement requirements

The following lists the minimum time which must be spent in clinical placement for Independent Prescribing:

  1. for those who have already passed Additional Supply - a minimum of 14 sessions of not less than three hours (7 days)
  2. for those who have no previous prescribing qualifications - a minimum of 24 sessions of not less than three hours (12 days)

Within the context of the relevant specialism the period of practice-based learning should ensure that you:

  • are competent in the assessment, diagnosis and management of the ophthalmic conditions for which you intend to prescribe
  • are able to recognise sight-threatening conditions that should be referred
  • are able to consult effectively with patients
  • are able to monitor the response to treatment, to review both the working diagnosis and to modify treatment, refer, consult or seek guidance, as appropriate
  • can make clinical decisions based on, and with reference to, the needs of the patient
  • are aware of your own limitations
  • critically analyse and evaluate your ongoing performance in relation to prescribing practice

Clinical training should be structured to ensure that you are exposed to sufficient numbers of patients presenting with the conditions that you will manage therapeutically. In addition, you should be exposed to a range of ophthalmic conditions to develop your differential diagnostic skills.

You should maintain this online logbook of practice evidence to verify that learning outcomes have been achieved.

On successful completion of the requisite period of clinical practice you may apply to sit the Common Final Assessment in Specialist Therapeutics.

Extensions

We are now able to grant extensions to IP trainees who need more than two years between completing the theoretical element of the programme and the start of their clinical placement (provided they can demonstrate currency of IP knowledge through appropriate CPD activities). 

Any IP trainees concerned that they may need to start their clinical placement experience more than two years after they have completed their university course should contact us as soon as possible: exams@college-optometrists.org.

If you completed the academic qualification more than two years ago and have not been able to complete any clinical placement sessions, you will need to renew your academic learning. Please contact any of the university providers for more information.

Patient numbers and conditions

Clinical training should be structured to ensure that you are exposed to sufficient numbers of patients presenting with the conditions that you will manage therapeutically. In addition, you should be exposed to a range of ophthalmic conditions to develop your differential diagnostic skills to prepare for the final examination. Remember, too, that 10% of the final examination is based on glaucoma, so it is advisable to see glaucoma patients during your clinical placement.

Clinical attendance log example

Registering your placement details

On taking up the clinical placement for independent prescribing you must inform the College of the details of the placement.

Candidates using the paper logbook must download and complete the form below and email it to exams@college-optometrists.org. You do not need to wait to receive confirmation from the College regarding the placement before you begin.

Candidates using the online logbook do not need to complete any extra paperwork as the placement registration is incorporated into the logbook application. 

Registration of clinical placement (paper logbook candidates only)

If you have successfully completed training with a GOC approved institution and wish to apply to the College for the Common Final Assessment in Specialist Therapeutics you must first undertake a clinical practice placement within the hospital eye service (or specialist general practice), under the supervision of a designated ophthalmologist (the mentor). More information on the mentor’s role and responsibilities.

If you previously completed a clinical placement for Additional Supply but chose not to sit the Common Final Assessment you cannot carry forward these placements to future courses or assessments.
 
On taking up the clinical placement you must inform the College of Optometrists of the details of the placement by completing the IP Application form.

Privacy notice

The College of Optometrists will use all personal and contact information supplied as part of this application to process your application for the Independent Prescribing examination and to send you your results. The College of Optometrists would like to use your email and postal addresses to send you general College news and information on the College’s products and services. The College also shares membership and qualification information with the General Optical Council when necessary. The College will share your name and email address with TestReach to facilitate access to the examination platform. We will not share your details with any other third parties. We may share your name with examination venues for security reasons. The College uses personal information for statistical and research purposes and, when not anonymised, we seek consent. 

We will keep all data relating to your Independent Prescribing examination for two years after you have qualified and then we will delete it. We will keep your final exam results in perpetuity.