About this course
Welcome — and thank you for joining this practical course on applying GOC Standard 11 in optical settings. It is designed for employers, managers, clinicians and support staff who want to protect patients and colleagues by recognising and managing fatigue, stress and burnout as documentable workplace risks.
This course is relevant to the whole optical team.
CPD Time: 1.5 hours (1.50 CE Credit)
Assessment: 10 MCQs. Pass mark 80%. more…
On passing the assessment you will immediately receive a CPD Certificate.
Customer feedback on this course
- Concise and practical — helped us change rota practice the same week.
- Clear scripts and templates made huddles far more effective.
- Valuable for locums — the day‑one checklist is brilliant.
- Good balance of individual and organisational actions, with realistic examples.
- Helped managers document decisions defensibly and reduce clinic risks.
Aim:
The aim of this course is to enable optical teams to protect patients and colleagues from harm by recognising, preventing and responding to stress and burnout in line with GOC Standard 11.
Course objective:
- Clarify the duty to safeguard colleagues and patients from risks associated with fatigue, stress and burnout.
- Teach practical recognition, support, documentation and escalation steps for colleagues showing early or established signs of burnout.
Anticipated learning outcomes:
The learner will:
- define burnout and describe its impact on staff performance and patient safety
- recognise emotional, cognitive, behavioural and physical warning signs of stress in colleagues
- apply immediate, proportionate actions and supportive conversations to reduce risk during clinics
- document adjustments and decisions with a clear safety rationale and review plan
- propose and support organisational controls (rotas, buffers, lone‑worker routes) to protect ongoing care
GOC Development Outcomes:
Standard 11
Learning content:
Aim | Introduction: Why Wellbeing Matters | Understanding Stress and Burnout | Scenario: Recognising Burnout | Spotting Warning Signs | Strategies for Individual Resilience | Scenario: Supporting a Colleague | Organisational Responsibility | Scenario: Organisational Challenges | Reflection and Personal Wellbeing | Reading List
View full course description
GOC Standard 11: Wellbeing and Burnout in Optical Practice
Course Description
GOC Standard 11: Wellbeing and Burnout in Optical Practice
This course equips optical teams with practical steps to meet Standard 11. It links colleague wellbeing to patient safety and focuses on reproducible controls, clear documentation and proportionate escalation.
Aim
Meet GOC Standard 11 requirements; focus on wellbeing and burnout prevention; and protect patients and colleagues through simple, visible controls.
Introduction: Why Wellbeing Matters
Explains the link between colleague wellbeing and patient safety, GOC expectations and high‑impact levers to protect care.
Understanding Stress and Burnout
Defines stress, fatigue and burnout; reviews common causes in optical practice (workload, isolation, locum insecurity) and the impact on attention, memory and safety.
Scenario: Recognising Burnout
Worked examples of an exhausted practitioner and a disengaged staff member, with immediate supportive actions and documentation fields.
Spotting Warning Signs
Covers emotional, cognitive, behavioural and physical indicators; contexts that raise risk (overruns, domiciliary work); and how to record facts and escalate proportionately.
Strategies for Individual Resilience
Practical self‑care routines, micro work‑design changes, reflective practice, targeted CPD, peer support, mentorship and locum checklists.
Scenario: Supporting a Colleague
Guidance for a tearful colleague debrief, immediate stabilisation, safe clinic stoppage and documentation standards for actions taken.
Organisational Responsibility
Employers' duty under Health & Safety; rota design, buffer capacity and lone‑worker protections; leader behaviours and artefacts such as rota policy and decision logs.
Scenario: Organisational Challenges
Examples of unsafe rota patterns, domiciliary travel adjustments and time‑bound decisions with implementation records and escalation data.
Reflection and Personal Wellbeing
A reflective cycle linked to Standard 6, feasible everyday goals, peer rhythms and feeding learning into governance with light records.
Reading List
Selected UK NHS and government wellbeing guidance, occupational health tools and sector leadership resources.
Course Completion
Participants complete a short feedback survey and an assessment. On passing, a CPD certificate is issued immediately.
You can copy and adapt this example PDP entry for your own needs and circumstances.
| PDP Learning or Maintenance need |
| Understanding and applying GOC Standard 11 to protect colleagues and patients from harm related to stress and burnout. |
| How does this relate to my field of practice? |
| Essential for safe practice in optical settings where fatigue, lone working and rota pressures can affect care. |
| Which development outcome(s) does it link to? |
| Standard 11 |
| What benefit will this have to my work? |
| Improved early recognition of strain, better colleague support, clearer documentation and safer clinic management. |
| How will I meet this learning or maintenance need? |
| Complete this course, apply scenario‑based actions, record proportionate controls and reflect in a one‑page wellbeing plan. |
| When will I complete the activity? |