News and updates
This page will help keep up to date with everything FTY related, including our regular newsletters and latest news and announcements.
Optometry FTY Newsletters
Launch of Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSD Scotland), April 2026
On 1 April 2026, Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSD Scotland) was launched as a new national organisation bringing together the strengths and services of NHS National Services Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland. From now on, these teams will operate as one, reshaping support for the health and care system across Scotland and helping partners achieve better outcomes for the people they serve.
PSD Scotland has been created to modernise national services, reduce duplication and ensure frontline teams have the skills, tools, data and infrastructure they need. The aim is simple: make it easier for health and social care staff to do their best work, and strengthen the system for future challenges, from workforce pressures to digital transformation and evolving public health needs.
Over the coming months, PSD Scotland will continue developing its structure, shaping its strategy and working to ensure a smooth transition. For staff, partners and the wider public, the message is simple: the work you rely on continues, now with a stronger foundation behind it.
For more information, visit the PSD Scotland webpage Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSD Scotland)
UHI Ministerial Visit, February 2026
The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) welcomed Jenni Minto, Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, to UHI House in Inverness on Tuesday 17 February for a visit to its optometry programme, showcasing innovative teaching, clinical training facilities and the unique student experience.
During the visit, the Minister met with senior staff from UHI and toured the optometry department, including clinical skills and teaching spaces. The programme also included opportunities to engage directly with optometry students and staff.
Read the full article on LinkedIn.
GCU Ministerial Visit, February 2026
Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mairi Watson, welcomed the Minister for Higher and Further Education, Ben Macpherson MSP, to Glasgow Caledonian University in February 2026.
The minister was given a tour of the University campus and facilities, taking in the Sir Alex Ferguson Library, the Entrepreneurial Hub, which aims to empower staff, students, and alumni on their journeys to start up new businesses, and the Vision Centre, which provides a full range of eye-care services to the public including sight tests, glasses, contact lenses and specialist assessments.
Read the full article on LinkedIn.
Transforming Eye Care in Scotland, December 2025
In a recently published Scottish Funding Council (SFC) blog, Professor Anita Simmers describes the steps Glasgow Caledonian University has taken to transform the provision of eye care in Scotland.
Read the full article here: Transforming Eye Care in Scotland
Coming Soon: Remote & Rural Lifestyle Series, October 2025
Our upcoming video series takes you behind the scenes with optometrists who’ve embraced remote and rural practice across Scotland, sharing their experiences, lifestyle, and the unique rewards of these communities. If you're a practitioner looking for a new challenge or a student considering your next placement, this is your chance to see why remote and rural could be the perfect fit.
Stay tuned and be first to watch when the series launches in Spring 2026.
GOC updated Standards of Practice launched, January 2025
The refreshed Standards of Practice for optometrists and dispensing opticians, students, and optical businesses came into effect on 1 January 2025. They reflect emerging changes in the sector, including the increased use of digital technologies, along with the changing expectations of patients and the public.
For more information, watch the short animation and visit the GOC website.
UHI BSc (Hons) in Optometry gains full GOC approval, November 2024.
The University of Highlands and Islands (UHI) undergraduate degree in optometry has gained full approval from the General Optical Council (GOC).
The BSc (Hons) Optometry qualification, which launched in 2019, has been approved under the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Handbook: Routes to Registration in Optometry (2015).
Read the full article here: Media - News - UHI optometry qualification earns full approval
GCU launched new integrated master's degree with IP programme, September 2024
Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) has launched the UK's first integrated master’s optometry degree with Independent Prescribing programme.
The new MOptom (IP) programme is the culmination of years of collaboration and planning with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and the Scottish Government and will enable students to register as IP optometrists at the point of successful completion of their five years of undergraduate training – the only UK nation in which this opportunity will be available.
Read the full article here: GCU welcomes Scottish ministers for launch of new programme (aop.org.uk)
GCU updated qualification approved, August 2024.
The General Optical Council (GOC) has noted that Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) will be the first to deliver an integrated optometry and independent prescribing qualification under the GOC’s new education and training requirements.
From September 2024, students will be able to earn a Master of Optometry with Independent prescribing.
Read the full article here: Glasgow Caledonian University approved to offer integrated optometry and independent prescribing qualification (aop.org.uk)
Optometry education in Scotland and independent prescribing article, May 2024.
- Read about the reform to the undergraduate degrees in Scotland, enabling students to register as IP optometrists at the point of registration.
- Understand the history of IP in Scotland and the desired evolution of the role.
Read the full article here: Optometry education in Scotland and independent prescribing (aop.org.uk)
