About this course
Protecting our profession’s reputation means stronger public trust, higher standards, and lasting credibility.
[podcast mini /media/goc-standard-17-intro.mp3]
Reputation can feel intangible—something shaped by opinions or perceptions. But in healthcare, it’s concrete. It lives in every interaction, every explanation, every moment a patient or member of the public observes you or your team. One calm apology can build confidence; one careless exchange in a waiting area can damage trust not just in you, but in the entire profession.
That’s why GOC Standard 17 matters. Protecting the reputation of optical practice isn’t about image management—it’s about safety. When patients have confidence in us, they disclose important details, follow advice, and return for care. When confidence is lost, barriers rise, complaints grow, and trust in the profession weakens.
This course will show you how small, everyday actions—tone of voice, moving disagreements to private spaces, rehearsing simple scripts—make the biggest difference. By embedding these behaviours, you don’t just protect your own professionalism; you contribute to the integrity of the entire optical field. Public confidence is fragile—but with consistent, thoughtful practice, you can strengthen it every day.
Every action by optical professionals reflects on the wider profession. This course explains how to uphold professionalism, act responsibly in and out of practice, and maintain the confidence of patients and the public. With these insights, you will be equipped to meet GOC Standard 17 with confidence.
This course is relevant to the whole optical team, including
- Registered optical professionals wanting reliable CPD mapped to GOC Standards
- Locums, jobseekers, and overseas practitioners needing to demonstrate current knowledge
- Colleagues addressing professional challenges who require structured CPD for reflection and remediation
- Managers and teams who want consistent, defensible training
CPD Time: 60 minutes (1 CE Credit / 1 Non-interactive CPD Point)
Assessment: 10 MCQs. Pass mark 80%. more…
On passing the assessment you will immediately receive a CPD Certificate.
Customer feedback on this course
- Concise, practical and immediately usable in practice.
- Clear scripts and scenario responses made training easier to run.
- Excellent focus on social media risks — helped update our policy.
- Very relevant for reception and clinical teams; great examples.
- Practical governance tips that supported our induction pack.
Aim:
The aim of this course is to meet the requirements of GOC Standard 17 and equip optical staff with practical skills to avoid conduct that could damage the profession's reputation.
Course objective:
• Explain why professional reputation matters and identify behaviours that risk damaging public confidence in optics.
• Apply practical controls and communication strategies in workplace, public and online settings to maintain professional standards.
Anticipated learning outcomes:
On course completion you will be able to:
• describe the scope of GOC Standard 17 and where it applies.
• demonstrate immediate, proportionate steps to de-escalate public disputes in practice.
• assess and manage online conduct and social media risks for staff and brand channels.
• correct and prevent misleading marketing and ensure transparent pricing communication.
• reflect on personal incidents and implement one behavioural and one system change to reduce reputational risk.
GOC Framework Mapping:
Standard 17: Protecting the Reputation of the Profession
Domain: Professionalism
Learning content:
Aim | Objectives | Anticipated Learning Outcomes | Introduction: Why Reputation Matters | Professionalism in the Workplace | Scenario Page 1 - 2 (Public Argument & Patient Complaint Mishandled) | Reputation Outside the Workplace | Scenario Page 3 - 4 (Public Drunkenness & Road Rage) | Digital and Social Media Conduct | Scenario Page 5 - 6 (Offensive Facebook Post & TikTok Mocking Patients) | Marketing and Public Representation | Scenario Page 7 - 8 (Exaggerated Claims & Hidden Costs) | Power, Respect, and Public Behaviour | Scenario Page 9 - 10 (Restaurant Outburst & Sports Club Dispute) | Reflection and Continuous Improvement | MCQ and Assessment | Reading List
View full course description
GOC Standard 17: Protecting the Reputation of the Optical Profession
Course Description
GOC Standard 17: Protecting the Reputation of the Optical Profession
This course helps optical professionals translate Standard 17 into everyday actions. It explains why reputation matters, how individual behaviour affects collective trust, and what practical steps teams should take to prevent and repair reputational harm.
Aim
Sets the primary aim: comply with GOC Standard 17 and preserve public confidence through professional behaviour.
Objectives
Lists the learning objectives and intended learner capabilities: understand the importance of reputation, recognise risky behaviours, manage digital presence, and apply professionalism across contexts.
Anticipated Learning Outcomes
Summarises the outcomes learners will achieve: define scope of the standard, demonstrate de-escalation, manage social media risks, correct marketing issues and reflect to improve conduct.
Introduction: Why Reputation Matters
Explains why reputation underpins safe care, how single incidents can amplify, introduces the reasonable observer test, and frames reputation as a safety control.
Professionalism in the Workplace
Covers respectful interactions, managing disputes away from patients, reception scripts, visible safeguards, documentation and leadership actions to keep professionalism consistent.
Scenario Page 1 - 2 (Public Argument & Patient Complaint Mishandled)
Two workplace scenarios showing immediate de-escalation steps, private resolution, apology scripts, documentation and environmental changes to protect reputation.
Reputation Outside the Workplace
Explains how off-duty conduct can impact the profession, common risk behaviours and protective actions, proportionate duty adjustments and factual recording.
Scenario Page 3 - 4 (Public Drunkenness & Road Rage)
Scenarios addressing alcohol-related disorder and branded-vehicle incidents with recommended notifications, duty changes, evidence capture and reflective plans.
Digital and Social Media Conduct
Describes safe online habits, confidentiality risks, pause-before-posting practice, governance, moderation and why private posts can become public risks.
Scenario Page 5 - 6 (Offensive Facebook Post & TikTok Mocking Patients)
Scenario-driven guidance for handling discriminatory posts and content mocking patients: deletion, evidence capture, assessment, sanction or training, and repair steps.
Marketing and Public Representation
Sets out controls for honest, non-misleading messaging, price transparency, pre-publication checks, supplier boundaries and version control to protect credibility.
Scenario Page 7 - 8 (Exaggerated Claims & Hidden Costs)
Practical responses to misleading marketing and opaque pricing: withdraw and correct adverts, contact affected patients, align materials and train staff on scripts.
Power, Respect, and Public Behaviour
Discusses role-modelling, avoiding discriminatory language, de-escalation habits, owning incidents and recording visible events.
Scenario Page 9 - 10 (Restaurant Outburst & Sports Club Dispute)
Two community scenarios showing how to apologise, de-escalate, support staff, assess risk and implement learning actions with owners.
Reflection and Continuous Improvement
Provides reflective prompts, a simple improvement cycle, measures to monitor reputation, governance and induction advice, and leadership rehearsal ideas.
MCQ and Assessment
Multiple-choice questions test understanding of Standard 17, the reasonable observer test, reputation as a safety control, high-yield behaviours and scenario-based judgements.
Reading List
Authoritative UK resources underpin the course, including GOC standards and guidance, advertising and social media guidance, equality and records frameworks.
Practice Reflection
Use incidents as learning opportunities. Record short reflective notes, test one behavioural change and one system fix, and monitor outcomes at team meetings.
Course Completion
Participants will complete a feedback survey, take a multiple-choice exam, and receive a CPD certificate. The course emphasises applying learning to daily practice and recording reflections for appraisal.
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 17 to protect professional reputation. |
| How does this relate to my field of practice? |
| Direct relevance to everyday patient interactions, team conduct, marketing and social media use. |
| Which development outcome(s) does it link to? |
| Standard 17 professional behaviour |
| What benefit will this have to my work? |
| Reduced complaint risk, improved patient confidence and clearer team protocols for visible incidents. |
| How will I meet this learning or maintenance need? |
| Complete this course, adopt the suggested scripts and controls, and record reflections for appraisal evidence. |
| When will I complete the activity? |