Student registration fees have been frozen at £25 and the £100 discount for practitioners on low incomes remains in place.

Gareth Hadley, GOC chair, said, “The 3.2% increase will ensure we have sufficient resources to carry out our regulatory functions, while limiting the strain that fees place on registrants. Inflation is naturally part of the reason for the increase, but it is also born out of a commitment to longer-term planning to ensure ongoing financial stability. The £10 increase builds in a contingency for eventualities such as a further increase in complaint numbers or particularly complex cases. It will also allow us to continue the implementation of our new Standards of Practice and consult thoroughly on new business standards. We must also bear the costs of more visits to education institutions and a levy to the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) of around £3.50 per registrant.”

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Four individuals and a research team were presented with a College Research Excellence Award in recognition of their outstanding contribution to vision science, eye health care and to the profession.

Taking place on 12-13 June at the Belfry Hotel in the Midlands, this new conference will bring together UK eye care practitioners (ECP) for a programme aimed at giving them the confidence and practical skills to discuss and fit contact lenses to all patients who visit their practice.