Reading List

This Reading List supports learning from the course GOC Standard 1: Listening to Patients in Optical Practice and signposts authoritative UK guidance for optometrists and dispensing opticians.

Core standards and professional guidance

• 1. Listen to patients and ensure they are at the heart of the decisions made about their care Core GOC standard setting expectations for active listening and centring patients in care.
• 2. Communicate effectively with your patients GOC requirements on adapting language, checking understanding and enabling questions.
• 3. Obtain valid consent GOC consent standard clarifying voluntariness, capacity and information needs in optical care.
• The professional duty of candour GOC guidance on being open and honest with patients when things go wrong.

Documentation and record keeping

• 8. Maintain adequate patient records GOC record-keeping requirements linking patient priorities to findings and plans.
• Patient records College guidance on what to record, contemporaneous notes and documenting the patient voice.

Shared decision making and patient experience

• Shared decision making NG197 Practical recommendations to embed shared decision making in everyday care (June 2021).
• Patient experience in adult NHS services QS15 Quality statements to improve communication and person-centred care across services (last updated July 2019).
• Decision support tools NHS England library of patient decision aids to support collaborative choices.
• Standards framework for shared decision-making support tools NICE quality standards for using and assessing patient decision aids (June 2021).

Inclusive communication and accessibility

• Accessible Information Standard Legal duties for identifying, recording and meeting communication needs in NHS care.
• Accessible Information Standard implementation guidance Updated practical guidance and self-assessment resources for compliance (June 2025).
• Meeting the Accessible Information Standard CQC expectations on providers implementing AIS, useful when preparing for inspection (August 2025).
• Guidance for commissioners: interpreting and translation services in primary care Official guidance on arranging safe professional language support (2018, updated 2019).

Neurodiversity, learning disability and dementia

• Dementia: assessment, management and support NG97 Person-centred communication and involvement recommendations relevant to patients with cognitive impairment (June 2018).
• Autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis and management CG142 Guidance on accessible communication and reasonable adjustments for autistic adults (2012).
• Reasonable adjustments Overview of legal duties and practical examples for adapting care for disabled people.
• Reasonable Adjustment Flag National NHS record to identify and share communication and access needs across services.

Clinical safety and patient-facing resources

• Floaters and flashes in the eyes Clear escalation advice and red flags to safety-net late disclosures in optometric practice.
• Patient information booklets Royal College of Ophthalmologists resources to support explanations and shared understanding in consultations.