Welcome

About this course

Patients do not always know who is responsible for each part of their optical care. During one visit they may meet reception staff, optical assistants, pre-screening staff, optometrists, dispensing opticians, contact lens opticians, students, managers and locums. Clear explanations of roles help the whole visit run more smoothly.

This course is for the whole optical team: optical assistants, reception and admin staff, retail and dispensing support staff, optometrists, dispensing opticians, contact lens opticians, students, practice managers, locums, temporary staff and anyone whose role affects patient care.

We use GOC Standard 2 and common optical-business standards as guardrails. The course is practical and team-focused, concentrating on routine introductions, setting expectations, managing handovers and reducing role confusion rather than presenting a full registrant communication-standard syllabus.

Why this course matters

• Patients need to know who is helping them: a clear introduction reduces uncertainty and makes it easier for patients to ask the right questions.
• Role clarity supports consent: people make better decisions when they understand what will happen and who is responsible.
• Optical teams are mixed: clinical, retail, admin and supervised tasks often occur in a single appointment.
• Confusion can create risk: patients may assume they have had clinical advice when they have only received practical support.
• Consistency builds trust: the whole team should give compatible messages about roles, next steps and handovers.

A simple learner spine

• Introduce: state your name and role in plain language.
• Explain: say what you can help with and what will happen next.
• Check: notice whether the patient seems unsure, anxious or confused.
• Clarify: correct misunderstandings kindly and avoid jargon or misleading titles.
• Hand over: involve the right colleague when a question belongs elsewhere.
• Record: note key handovers, delegated tasks and role-related concerns where local procedure requires it.

By the end of the course you should be better able to explain your role clearly and help patients understand who is providing each part of their care.