Optometry

The FTY is designed to support student optometrists to develop into safe, effective, adaptable and therapeutically qualified practitioners who can work across a range of clinical settings and multidisciplinary environments.

It provides approximately 48 weeks of structured patient-facing clinical learning and assessment, comprising two 24-week placement blocks, alongside protected time for statutory leave and professional development activities. Students will normally complete the two blocks in different locations to broaden their experience of patient groups, clinical environments and models of care. At least one placement should provide appropriate independent prescribing exposure.

Throughout the FTY, students:

• remain fully matriculated with their university;
• are employed, four days per week, by the relevant placement provider during each placement block;
• should have access to a consulting room for the equivalent of at least three days per week;
• should remain supernumerary learners whose primary purpose within the placement is educational;
• clinical responsibility is introduced progressively and must remain appropriate to their development and patient safety;
• assessment is continuous and developmental, using evidence gathered through clinical activity, observation, feedback, reflection and progress reviews.

Further guidance on the changes can be found here: Foundation Training Year (FTY) | Turas | Learn.

Placement practices will need to provide a safe and appropriate learning environment that supports supervised clinical learning throughout the placement.

Placement providers will be expected to:

• meet relevant NHS GOS, regulatory and professional requirements;
• meet the Placement Provider Terms of Participation;
• provide an appropriate range of patients, conditions and clinical experiences;
• employ the student during the relevant placement block, 4 days per week, and provide an appropriate employment contract;
• provide access to a consulting room for the equivalent of at least three days per week;
• provide appropriate facilities and equipment to support supervised undergraduate clinical placements.  
• provide access to internet connectivity to enable the student to access relevant learning resources, including Turas, Training Portfolio and university learning platforms;
• nominate a named Clinical Supervisor who meets the FTY requirements;
• support an inclusive environment in which reasonable adjustments can be supported;
• support one protected development day each week for university and PSD Scotland activities.

Students will normally work within the placement setting for four days per week (30-32 hours) as paid employees of their placement provider, gaining supervised clinical experience within the placement setting. The remaining day is a protected development day. This protected day may include:

• university-led activities
• portfolio work
• simulation
• teach and treat clinics
• consolidation of learning
• other scheduled activities.

The following information reflects the current proposed delivery model for the Optometry Foundation Training Year and may be subject to change as national arrangements are finalised. Updates will be published as they become available.

FTY students bring a unique status to placement provision. While they remain enrolled as undergraduate students on their university programme throughout the FTY, they are also employed by their placement provider during each placement block.

• Placement providers act as the student's employer during each placement block and are responsible for providing an appropriate contract of employment and paying the student's salary.
• Students are typically employed for a 24-week period within each placement block.
• Students will work four days per week in which the student will normally work between 30 – 32 hours. Hours will be spread as evenly as practicable across the four working days. Start and finish times may vary according to local service and operational requirements.
• Salary levels are determined by the employer, subject to employment law. While no specific FTY salary has been mandated, offering a salary equivalent to at least the Real Living Wage, calculated pro rata for the student’s four-day working week, is considered good practice.
• Placement providers are responsible for employment matters during the placement, including contracts of employment, local induction, payroll, absence management, compliance with employment legislation, and access to appropriate HR support.
• Although employed by the practice, students remain university students as part of their MOptom (IP) degree. They contribute to clinical activity under appropriate supervision, with opportunities to develop their clinical and professional skills and achieve the required learning outcomes throughout the placements.

Further guidance on funding, including the financial package available to Placement Providers, can be found here: Placement Provider Terms of Participation.

✔️ Clinical Supervisor requirements:

• hold current registration with the GOC;
• have appropriate indemnity insurance;
• adhere to the GOC Code of Conduct, including supervision-related requirements;
• be competent in the clinical areas in which they will supervise the student; and
• complete mandatory PSD Scotland-facilitated training;

✔️ Previous experience of supervising a student through a full training cycle is not essential. Applicants will be asked to identify whether the proposed supervisor is experienced, developing or new to supervision so that appropriate support can be provided.

✔️ Clinical Supervisors will complete mandatory PSD Scotland-facilitated training through Turas Learn before approval and every three years thereafter. Separate funding, in addition to the FTY placement grant, will support protected time for this training: four half-day sessions preparing new FTY Clinical Supervisors and two half-day sessions every three years, at approximately £150 per half-day session at current rates.

IP-related supervision

✔️ During the FTY, students will have at least one placement supported by an IP-qualified Clinical Supervisor. This ensures that all students are exposed to IP practice and can develop an understanding of how prescribing is integrated into patient care. 

✔️ The IP-qualified Clinical Supervisor will provide the same day-to-day supervision, observation and feedback as other Clinical Supervisors. Where available within the placement, students will gain experience of IP-related clinical activity alongside their broader optometry training.

✔️ Additional IP-focused learning and simulation activities will be delivered through protected development days, including sessions facilitated by PSD Scotland. Alongside workplace-based learning, these activities support the application of prescribing knowledge in practice and provide a broad and realistic range of additional IP learning experiences.

✔️ The IP-qualified Clinical Supervisor does not have responsibility for the student's overall assessment or progression. Oversight of progress and assessment throughout the FTY remains the responsibility of the Educational Supervisor (ES)/Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP).

Further guidance on the Clinical Supervisor role, training and support can be found here: Supervisor Hub.

Students should be appropriately supervised throughout their time in practice, in accordance with the GOC Standards of Practice, to support safe patient care and the student’s learning and development. 

In addition to routine clinical oversight, Clinical Supervisors should have dedicated time for observation, discussion and feedback. As an indicative guide, this is expected to be:

• around two hours per week during the early stages of the FTY
• reducing to around one hour per week as the student’s competence, confidence and independence develop.

In addition, students should have access to a consulting room for the equivalent of at least three days per week.

A formal supervisory discussion should also be recorded in the student's Training Portfolio at least monthly.

FTY placements will be allocated through a national process, bringing together information from students and approved placement providers:

Further guidance on the processes can be found here: Applying, Matching and Allocation.

FTY placements will be delivered through a partnership between PSD Scotland, the universities and approved placement providers, with each organisation having defined responsibilities for supporting students and maintaining the quality and safety of placements.

Placement providers will contribute to the quality of the FTY by:

• providing a safe and supportive learning environment;
• engaging with quality monitoring, evaluation and improvement activity;
• supporting assessment and feedback processes;
• raising concerns promptly where required; and
• working with PSD Scotland and the university to address issues affecting the placement or student.

Placement providers will also be expected to notify PSD Scotland of any changes that could affect placement delivery, such as changes to supervision, capacity or the clinical environment.

Support will be available to practices and supervisors throughout the FTY, including training, guidance and resources. Further information about the support available, including opportunities for peer support and other resources, will be shared as arrangements are confirmed ahead of the first placements in 2028.

The Expression of Interest will help PSD Scotland understand:

• potential placement capacity
• geographical coverage
• the range of prospective provider types and settings
• potential supervision arrangements

Submitting an Expression of Interest:

• does not commit your organisation to providing a placement
• is not a formal placement provider application
• does not confirm approval
• does not guarantee the allocation of a student.

Further information

• the placement provider Terms of Participation
• the placement provider information available on Turas Learn
• the supporting FAQs

• information on supervision and the formal application process.

   

✨ Register Your Interest in Providing an FTY Placement – Fill in form ✨

• Expression of Interest opens: Thursday 10 September 2026 at 9.00 am
• Expression of Interest closes: Wednesday 23 September 2026 at 11.59 pm
• Formal application process: currently planned to open in January 2027.