It is vital that learners are enabled to learn optical skills and undertake them safely, as they gain competence. The risks of this can be reduced by enabling practice of techniques using   models and simulation. The objective is always to be able to transfer that learning to human volunteers, patient actors, colleagues and eventually patients.

Supervision of learners who are undertaking tasks for the first time, and until the skills become sufficiently rehearsed to be presented consistently, naturally requires more attention from qualified supervisors experienced in the technique being used and equipped to transfer their own expertise to the learner. The level of supervision required for particular activities should be determined, documented and regularly reviewed by using an appropriate risk assessment. For example, communications skills practice might only require checks to ensure that feedback and reflection for improvement occurs, whereas the use of a slit lamp will require extensive explanation, demonstration and active supervision whilst the patient, or simulated patient, undergoes the procedure being learnt. 

Classes should be structured such that the numbers of qualified staff available are adequate for each learner to be able to undertake sufficient repetitions of an activity, interspersed with periods of feedback and reflections, to consolidate the skills required. Efficiency of delivery can be increased by grouping learners and developing a ‘production line’ approach to transit through higher and lower risk learning activities. However, there should always be capacity for the highest risk activities to be adequately supervised to ensure patient safety, with some reserve time or staffing available to address inevitable delays to seamless progression of the whole group of learners through any particular planned session.

It should be recognised that educational settings will also need to ensure that there are appropriate numbers of staff available to support the learner whilst they are off campus undertaking clinical learning, since ETR renders the educational provider responsible for the entirety of the learner journey.

It is anticipated that the more complex skills undertaken during workplace learning will tend to be in the latter years of the course and that these will be focused on deploying the clinical skills taught in an academic environment, on real patients in the workplace. Workplace settings may include high street multiple or independent practices, hospital eye services,   private optical hospitals, domiciliary services and more, and each will have different benefits, constraints and risk profiles to be accounted for.

It is likely that the workplace will be the location in which the learner consolidates, documents and may be assessed on the achievement of many of the GOC outcomes at the ‘Shows how’ and ‘Does’ levels, as described in Miller’s pyramid. The supervisory team plays a key role in ensuring timely progression towards this as well as managing the risk of learners’ patient facing activities. They must also have the means to collaborate effectively with university or college course team members in relation to documenting and supporting learner progress   against the GOC outcomes, as well as (through risk management) towards independent practice.

The College of Optometrists’ expectations with regards to supervision and supervisory tasks, as well as the requirements to become approved as either a Practice Lead or a Task Supervisor for a CLiP student, are described in detail on the CLiP area of the College website.

The supervision requirements for NHS Education for Scotland (NES) Foundation Training Year (FTY) that are integrated into the courses provided by Glasgow Caledonian University and the University of the Highlands and Islands can be found on the NES website.

For Optometry Manchester, the role of the supervisor is to support the student to develop their ability to perform clinical activities so that they can be trusted to work independently. Further information about this can be found on the University of Manchester website.

ABDO provides detailed guidance covering supervisory responsibilities, legislative and practice placement requirements with free online CPD modules, all available on the ABDO website in the examinations area.

These depend on the person, and everyone may use their own strengths and characteristics in different ways to support a student. However, some general attributes would include professional integrity; a commitment to upholding high standards of practice and care; attention to detail; effective communication skills; patience; passion for training and education; planning and organisational skills; tolerance and empathy.