New optometry programme to begin at University of Portsmouth

Healthcare in the region has been given a significant boost with the announcement of provisional approval being granted for a professional Master of Optometry course at the University of Portsmouth.

A Master of Optometry course will begin at Portsmouth this autumn

Students will be trained to a clinically excellent standard over four years, helping to address a shortage of trained eye care providers across the south.

They will be taught in an existing centre of healthcare training excellence equipped with state of the art clinical equipment.

The course will begin in September 2016 and the first qualified optometrists will graduate in 2020. It is a full-time integrated master’s course, including a one-year placement working in a range of clinical settings.

After graduating, students will be eligible for full registration with the regulator, the General Optical Council.

Welcoming the announcement, the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Galbraith, said:

It is excellent news that we have been given provisional approval from the regulator to launch our new Optometry programme of study at the University this autumn.

We have a strong reputation for training healthcare professionals, for which there is great demand. This course will expand our already excellent provision in healthcare and meets a pressing need for qualified optometrists in our region.

The course will be delivered by a team of clinical practitioners with a broad range of experience in eye care practice who will focus on practical, clinically relevant content from the outset.

The course was designed to meet a need for more qualified optometrists in the region.

In common with all new optometry courses, the provisional approval will be reviewed annually and full approval is expected to be given after the successful graduation of the first cohort of students.

The College of Optometrists is providing the scheme for registration to provide a consistent and robust assessment process to ensure trainees meet the standards required to register with the General Optical Council.

Jackie Martin, Director of Education at the College of Optometrists, said:

The College of Optometrists is pleased to be able to provide the scheme for registration as part of the University of Portsmouth’s new Master of Optometry course, ensuring that these students meet the same high standards as graduates from all other courses.

The University’s existing range of healthcare courses include radiography, pharmacy and dental care.