To practice as an optometrist, you must provide a set of essential documents that verify your identity, right to work, professional registration, and compliance with safeguarding and insurance standards.
Essential Documents Checklist
Photographic ID: A valid passport or a driving licence.
Right to Work: A UK or Irish passport. If you were born outside the UK or Ireland, you must provide a share code along with proof of your right to work status.
Professional Registration: You must be a registered optometrist with either the General Optical Council (GOC) for practice in the UK or CORU for practice in Ireland.
Police Check: The type of check required depends on your location:
England and Wales: An Enhanced DBS certificate. You must also be registered with the DBS Update Service.
Scotland: A Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme record dated within the last 8 years.
Northern Ireland: An AccessNI check dated within the last 3 years.
Indemnity Insurance: An insurance certificate showing your full name, the insurer's name, the start and end dates of your policy, and the policy number. This is a mandatory requirement to ensure you are covered for any potential claims of negligence.