Clinical Adviser

General Optical Council; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

A regulatory body for health professionals is seeking Clinical Advisers to provide independent medical expertise remotely. You will help ensure safe and fair regulatory decisions in health-related appeals and fitness to practise cases. The ideal candidates are GMC-registered with expertise in various mental health conditions or ophthalmology. This role offers £450 per day on an initial three-year contract with flexibility in time commitment.

Qualifications

• GMC-registered medical practitioner with relevant clinical expertise.
• Strong sense of professional integrity.
• Not a current registrant or member of the General Optical Council.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert medical advice during fitness to practise and appeal proceedings.
• Interpret medical evidence and understand clinical diagnoses.
• Advise on health conditions impacting registrants' fitness to practise.

Skills

Occupational Medicine

Schizophrenia and Related Disorders

Bipolar Disorder and Depression

Substance Dependence and Misuse

Ophthalmology

Multiple Sclerosis

Education

GMC registration

Job description

Location: Remote (with occasional in-person hearings if required) — Fee: £450 per day — Contract Type: Initial three-year contract, with potential for renewal — Time Commitment: Variable – based on availability — Application Deadline: Tuesday 7 October 2025 (12:00 noon) — Interview Dates: Remote interviews on Friday 7 and Tuesday 11 November 2025 — Position availability: Multiple positions

The General Optical Council (GOC) is the UK regulator for the optical professions, including optometrists, dispensing opticians, student registrants, and optical businesses. Our role is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, conduct, and performance among optical professionals.

As part of our commitment to upholding the integrity and health standards of the optical professions, we are looking to appoint several Clinical Advisers to provide independent medical expertise to support our Fitness to Practise and Registration Appeal Committees. This is a unique opportunity to play a vital role in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of patients and the public, while supporting fair and robust regulatory decisions.

The Role

As a Clinical Adviser, you will provide expert medical advice and guidance on complex health-related issues that arise during fitness to practise and registration appeal proceedings. Your clinical insight will help inform decisions made by panel members, ensuring they are based on sound medical understanding and are fair, proportionate, and in line with public interest.

Clinical Advisers are not decision-makers, but their input is highly valued in interpreting medical evidence, understanding clinical diagnoses and prognoses, and advising on health conditions that may impact a registrant’s fitness to practise.

Who We are Looking For

We welcome applications from GMC-registered medical practitioners with relevant clinical expertise and a strong sense of professional integrity. You must not be a current registrant or member of the General Optical Council. We are particularly interested in candidates with specialist knowledge or experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Occupational Medicine
• Schizophrenia and Related Disorders
• Bipolar Disorder and Depression
• Substance (Drug/Alcohol) Dependence and Misuse
• Ophthalmology
• Multiple Sclerosis

How to Apply

Please visit the GOC website to download the full Information Pack and Application Form or click the Apply button.

For further information please contact:

Vineeta Desai
Head of Hearing Operations
vdesai at optical.org
020 7871 0411

Our Commitment to Inclusion

Equality, diversity and inclusion is central to how we regulate, how we engage with stakeholders and all those who use our services, and our actions as a responsible employer. We welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity.

Should you be interested in supporting optical regulation at this time, we look forward to hearing from you.