June 2023 Newsletter

Standards of Practice | Protected Titles | Duty to Report
 
COBC Standards of Practice

Standards of Practice
1-year anniversary

COBC's revised Standards of Practice have now been in effect for a year! Since releasing them on June 1, 2022, we've spotlighted several of them in our monthly newsletters with resources and case studies. We've been thrilled to receive positive feedback as you and your colleagues have put the Standards into effect.

Review the Standards of Practice


Revisiting the case studies
Case studies allow you to look at the Standards from different perspectives. While you might have a good understanding of a particular Standard already, there could be real-life applications you haven't considered. Working through case studies that relate to your learning goals can also be a great activity for your CCP!

If you haven't already, check out the case studies we've shared over the past year:

Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 9 Standard 11 Standard 12 Standard 14

More case studies are on the way. Up next is Standard 13: Conflict of Interest!
 

Having your say
These are your Standards of Practice. If you have an idea for a case study, a request for a resource, or a suggestion for how we can spotlight a particular Standard in a more useful way, we want to hear from you! Take our 3-minute survey here.
 
COBC Standards of Practice

What's going on at COBC

In the springtime, we have the opportunity to connect with our registrants through the licence renewal process. We receive our highest volume of calls and emails during the month of March, as every COBC registrant works to complete their renewal by the same deadline.

However, our staff team remains busy year-round! Here's what we're working on now:


CCP Audit
This annual process involves reviewing CCP work for a randomized cross-section of registrants whose most recent three-year cycle ended the previous December. These registrants will receive personalized feedback on what they have submitted, to provide guidance for their next cycle on the program. They may also be asked to provide clarification or additional information if deemed necessary.
 

Financial audit
Every June, COBC goes through an extensive financial audit. Although the audit is conducted by an independent auditor (McLaren Trefanenko Inc.), a signficiant amount of staff time goes into the preparation and review of applicable documents.

Interested to see the results of previous years' audits? Our audited financial statements are available on our website.


Investigating complaints
COBC is continuously fielding inquiries regarding the conduct of opticians and individuals who call themselves opticians. Some inquiries are quickly resolved, while others can result in formal complaints requiring investigation, mediation, and even disciplinary action.

The complaints process is available to members of the public and to opticians who observe misconduct. Learn more about the complaints process here.
 
COBC Standards of Practice

Investigating right-to-title

The Opticians Regulation protects the titles "optician" and "contact lens fitter" (along with related titles—like "dispensing optician," "refracting optician," and "student contact lens fitter"—and all derivations and translations) for the exclusive use of COBC registrants. Enforcing the protection of these titles is a responsibility that COBC takes very seriously.

Here's what we do when we receive a report that an unlicensed individual is using a protected title:
  1. We investigate the issue and confirm that the conduct is occurring as reported.
  2. We issue a "cease and desist" letter to the individual, explaining the reasons why they are not permitted to use protected titles, as well as the consequences if they continue to do so.
  3. If the conduct persists, we pursue legal action through the Supreme Court of BC.

In 2022, COBC received 6 reports of unauthorized title use. Of these:

  • 3 were resolved when the individuals involved agreed to stop using protected titles. In these cases, COBC confirmed that the individuals and/or their employers removed all unauthorized uses of title from their websites, social media profiles, exterior/interior signage, and other public-facing materials.
     
  • 2 were resolved when the individuals involved completed the applicable steps to register with COBC, and thereby became authorized to use protected titles.
     
  • 1 remains in progress.

Right-to-title issues may arise with those who have never been licensed with COBC, as well as those who were previously licensed but no longer are. Remember: protected titles can only be used by those who are currently licensed. Currently licensed individuals appear on our Public Register.

Check the status of any BC optician using COBC's Public Register
 
COBC Standards of Practice

Did you know?
Duty to report

As an optician, you have a professional obligation to report misconduct.
This includes:

  • Reporting any incident of unauthorized practice to COBC. (Standard 6.9)
     
  • Reporting any incident of unauthorized use of a protected title (e.g., "optician," "contact lens fitter" or a related title) to COBC. (Standard 6.10)
  • Reporting unethical, unsafe, or incompetent practice by any regulated health care professional to the appropriate regulatory body in accordance with applicable legislative requirements. (Standard 6.11)
     
  • Reporting sexual abuse by any regulated health care professional to the appropriate regulatory body in accordance with applicable legislative requirements. (Standard 6.12)
     
  • Reporting acts of racism to leadership and/or the relevant health regulatory college (and supporting clients, colleagues, and others who experience and/or report acts of racism). (Standard 4.8)

College of Opticians of BC operates on the traditional, ancestral and unceded Coast Salish territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.

Unsubscribing from this email will revoke your consent to receive email correspondence from us as outlined in Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). We will no longer be able to send you important reminders pertaining to your licence, which may affect your registration with the College of Opticians of BC. Please contact us if you have any questions.