About this course
Welcome to GOC Standard 11: Bullying and Harassment in Optical Practice — Creating a safe, respectful workplace for all colleagues. This course gives you practical decision tools, bystander techniques and clear escalation pathways so you can prevent, recognise and respond to bullying and harassment while meeting legal and GOC obligations.
This course is relevant to the whole optical team.
CPD Time: 90 minutes (1.50 CE Credits)
Assessment: 10 MCQs. Pass mark 80%. more…
On passing the assessment you will immediately receive a CPD Certificate.
Customer feedback on this course
- Clear, practical and directly applicable to everyday practice.
- Excellent scenarios — helped me feel confident to intervene safely.
- Well structured. The legal guidance was concise and useful.
- Helpful templates and wording for bystander interventions.
- Valuable for managers and frontline staff alike — improved our reporting.
Aim:
To enable optical practice staff to prevent, recognise and respond to bullying and harassment in line with GOC Standard 11, safeguarding colleagues and patients.
Course objectives:
- Explain the legal and professional responsibilities for preventing and responding to bullying and harassment in optical settings.
- Apply practical interventions and escalation pathways to protect colleagues, preserve dignity, and maintain safe patient care.
Anticipated learning outcomes:
The learner will:
- define bullying, harassment and sexual harassment in line with UK law and GOC expectations.
- recognise verbal, non-verbal and digital behaviours that cross the line in optical practice.
- take safe, professional steps when experiencing or witnessing bullying, including bystander interventions and documentation.
- escalate concerns through appropriate internal and external routes and support affected colleagues.
- reflect on personal behaviour and implement at least one change to contribute to a respectful workplace.
GOC Development Outcomes:
GOC Standard 11
Learning content:
Why Workplace Behaviour Matters | Legal and Professional Framework | Defining Bullying and Harassment | Scenario Page 1: Everyday Bullying | Recognising the Impact | Scenario Page 2: Sexual Harassment | Responding to Bullying and Harassment | Building a Respectful Workplace | Scenario Page 3: Responding Constructively | Reflection and Continuous Improvement | Reading List | Course Completion
View full course description
GOC Standard 11: Bullying and Harassment in Optical Practice
Course Description
Why Workplace Behaviour Matters
Explains why bullying and harassment are clinical safety risks in optical pathways. Shows how respectful culture supports reporting, supervision and patient safety.
Legal and Professional Framework
Summarises key UK laws and GOC expectations, including practical implications for policy, manager capability and record-keeping in optical practices.
Defining Bullying and Harassment
Provides clear working definitions and examples, including digital channels and quick tests to distinguish constructive feedback from harmful conduct.
Scenario Page 1: Everyday Bullying
Scenario-based exploration of common day-to-day bullying. Focuses on immediate interventions, naming behaviour, documentation and manager follow-up.
Recognising the Impact
Describes psychological, operational and workforce consequences. Suggests indicators to track and include in governance.
Scenario Page 2: Sexual Harassment
Covers sexual-harassment scenarios, immediate safeguarding, preserving evidence and formal escalation consistent with policy and law.
Responding to Bullying and Harassment
Provides an action framework for victims, bystanders and managers. Covers recording, evidence preservation and escalation routes while balancing fairness and due process.
Building a Respectful Workplace
Outlines leadership behaviours, policy and training components, feedback rules and operational supports to normalise respectful challenge and enforce consequences for boundary crossing.
Scenario Page 3: Responding Constructively
Practical scenarios focused on bystander phrases, reframing, coaching, apologies and documenting team learning.
Reflection and Continuous Improvement
Promotes after-action reviews, supervision prompts and governance loops to sustain change through measurement and ownership.
Reading List
Key UK references: Equality Act 2010, Health and Safety at Work Act, Protection from Harassment Act, EHRC and Acas guidance, GOC standards, HSE and NHS speaking-up materials.
Course Completion
You will complete a feedback survey, take the multiple-choice exam and receive a CPD certificate. The course emphasises reflecting on practice and applying at least one change to improve workplace respect.
You can copy and adapt this example PDP entry for your own needs and circumstances.
| PDP Learning or Maintenance need |
| Preventing and responding to workplace bullying and harassment in optical practice. |
| How does this relate to my field of practice? |
| Supports safe, respectful team interactions that protect patients and meet GOC Standard 11. |
| Which development outcome(s) does it link to? |
| GOC Standard 11 |
| What benefit will this have to my work? |
| Improved team communication, reduced clinical risk, clearer reporting and safer working conditions. |
| How will I meet this learning or maintenance need? |
| Complete this course, apply bystander and feedback techniques, and follow local reporting pathways. |
| When will I complete the activity? |