Reading List

This Reading List supports application of the course in UK optical settings, highlighting authoritative standards and tools for prevention, response and governance.

UK law and regulators

• Equality Act 2010 Statutory definition of harassment and sexual harassment applicable across the UK.
• Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 Introduces the employer duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, in force October 2024.
• EHRC technical guidance on sexual harassment and harassment at work Authoritative interpretation of employers legal duties including the preventative duty (updated September 2024).
• EHRC employer 8 step guide: Preventing sexual harassment at work Practical steps for compliance and risk assessment including third party harassment (September 2024).

Professional standards for optical practice

• GOC Standard 15: Maintain appropriate boundaries with others Explicit expectations on sexual boundaries with patients, students and colleagues (2025).
• Standards of practice for optometrists and dispensing opticians Core behavioural and performance standards including safeguarding and raising concerns (2025).
• Standards for Optical Businesses Business standards requiring safe environments, governance and fair culture (2025).
• College of Optometrists: Maintaining boundaries Practical guidance on professional and sexual boundaries in everyday practice.
• College of Optometrists: Social media and online behaviour Good practice to prevent boundary breaches and online harassment.

NHS sexual safety and speaking up

• Sexual safety in healthcare organisational charter NHS England commitments for zero tolerance, reporting and board assurance on sexual safety (updated August 2025).
• National sexual misconduct people policy framework Policy and assurance framework for recognising, reporting and preventing sexual misconduct (October 2024, updated January 2025).
• Freedom to Speak Up national policy and guidance Standardised NHS routes and protections for raising concerns about unsafe conduct.
• National Guardian's Office guidance for Freedom to Speak Up Guardians Practical guidance to support speaking up, escalation and feedback.

Workplace processes and investigations

• Acas: Sexual harassment Plain English legal overview and employer actions under the Equality Act and preventative duty (updated November 2024).
• Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures Minimum fair process investigators and managers must follow.
• Acas investigations step by step How to plan, conduct and record a fair workplace investigation including evidence handling (July 2025).

Health and safety and risk management

• HSE stress risk assessment How to assess and control psychosocial risks that harassment creates under health and safety law (June 2024).
• HSE: How employers can protect workers from violence and aggression at work Legal duties, risk assessment and control measures for public facing environments (November 2024).

Data protection and documentation

• ICO: Employment practices and data protection - keeping employment records UK GDPR guidance on what to record, retention and access controls for HR and case files (February 2025).
• ICO: Employment practices and data protection - information about workers health Rules for processing staff health data when providing support or adjustments after incidents (March 2024).