
1994 No. 70
OPTICIANS
The General Optical Council (Testing of Sight by Persons Training as Ophthalmic Opticians Rules) Order of Council 1994
Made 17th January 1994
Coming into force 17th January 1994
At the Council Chamber, Whitehall,
The 17th day of January 1994
By the Lords of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council
Whereas in pursuance of section 24(3) of the Opticians Act 1989 the General Optical Council have made the General Optical Council Testing of Sight by Persons Training as Ophthalmic Opticians Rules 1993 as set out in the Schedule to this Order:And whereas by section 34 of that Act such rules shall not come into force until approved by Order of the Privy Council:Now, therefore, Their Lordships, having taken the said rules into consideration, are hereby pleased to approve the same.
This Order may be cited as the General Optical Council (Testing of Sight by Persons Training as Ophthalmic Opticians Rules) Order of Council 1994.
The General Optical Council (Rules on the Testing of Sight by Persons Training as Ophthalmic Opticians) Order of Council 1974, which becomes spent upon the revocation under rule 5 of rules scheduled to this Order, is hereby revoked.

N.H. Nicholls
Clerk of the Privy Council

SCHEDULE
THE GENERAL OPTICAL COUNCIL TESTING OF SIGHT BY PERSONS TRAINING AS OPTOMETRISTS RULES 1993
The General Optical Council in exercise of their powers under section 24(3) of the Opticians Act 1989 hereby make the following Rules:—

Citation
1 
These Rules may be cited as the Testing of Sight by Persons Training as  Optometrists  Rules 1993.
Interpretation
2 
In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires:—
 “the Act” means the Opticians Act 1989;
 “approved qualification” means a qualification approved by the Council under section 12 of the Act as suitable to be granted to  optometrists;
 “approved training  establishment” means an  establishment  approved by the Council under section 12 of the Act (as suitable for the training of  optometrists);
 “the Council” means the General Optical Council; and
 “optometrist” and “registered  optometrist” have the meanings given them in section 36 of the Act.
Exemption from section 24(1) of the Act of testing of sight by Persons Training as  Optometrists
3 
Any testing of sight which is carried out:—
(a) by a person in the course of his training as an  optometrist  who falls within any of the classes prescribed in Rule 4, and
(b) under the continuous personal supervision of a registered  optometrist  or a registered medical practitioner,shall be exempt from section 24(1) of the Act (testing of sight).
Classes of Persons Training as  Optometrists
4 
The classes of persons prescribed for the purposes of these Rules are the following:—
(a) persons who are undertaking training at an approved training establishment for the purpose of satisfying section 8(1)(a) or 8(2A)(a) of the Act;
(b) persons who are obtaining practical experience in the work of an optometrist under the supervision of a registered medical practitioner or a registered optometrist for the purpose of satisfying section 8(1)(b) or 8(2A) of the Act;
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(d) persons who are undergoing examination  or assessment for an approved qualification;
(e) persons who have qualified as  optometrists  outside the United Kingdom and are receiving instruction at an approved training  establishment;
(f) persons who are in the course of training as an  optometrist  outside the United Kingdom and are receiving instruction at an approved training  establishment.
Revocation
5 
The Rules on the Testing of Sight by Persons Training as Ophthalmic Opticians 1974 (scheduled to the General Optical Council (Rules on the Testing of Sight by Persons Training as Ophthalmic Opticians) Order of Council 1974) are hereby revoked.
Sealed on the 24th June 1993Attested by:—
D. J. Burt
Member of Council
G. D. Miller
Member of Council
R. D. Wilshin
Registrar
