For the first time in a decade, a major review of the Certificate IV in Optical Dispensing (Cert IV) is underway in Australia to bring it up to standard with contemporary industry practices and other markets, including New Zealand.

Course provider the Australasian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD), plus Optical Dispensers Australia (ODA) and other industry bodies have long pushed for the review. “The number of changes and advancements our industry has seen in the past 10 years is astronomical, which has ultimately resulted in outdated course content and prerequisites,” said ODA CEO April Petrusma. “The review means the industry gets to have a say on what is or isn't included in the updated training package and gives us a collective opportunity to bring the course up to date and in line with current research and technology.”

ACOD director Chedy Kalach agreed, saying the review’s primary objective is about lifting the minimum standard, especially in Australia. “ACOD and OptiBlocks have always gone above and beyond what the sometimes-vague standard prescribes.”

While most of the anticipated changes are covered already by the current accredited New Zealand Cert IV course, updates will likely be regarded as a “major change”, Kalach said. Any changes deemed significant will require consultation with the Optometrist and Dispensing Opticians Board (ODOB) for re-accreditation of the New Zealand course, he said.

In New Zealand, the ODOB is charged under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 to ensure dispensing opticians (DOs) are competent and fit to practise when they apply for registration, which requires the ODOB to prescribe the qualifications required to meet the current scopes of practice. The accreditation standards for optical dispensing education programmes were last reviewed in 2021 (published in 2022) and are due for a review again in 2025.

Seeking diploma accreditation

Once the Australian review is completed, in June, ACOD will move to seek accreditation for a diploma course for DOs, first in Australia then New Zealand, Kalach said. “Long term, we’d like to see a one-year diploma following the Cert IV course to become the minimum standard to become a registered DO in New Zealand. In Australia it would serve the purpose of lifting the skill levels of the profession.”

Courtney Chellew, president of the Association of Dispensing Opticians New Zealand (ADONZ) said the association has been pushing for a diploma course to form part of the New Zealand registered qualification. “We need to get the standard of education lifted to a much higher level, to be recognised as healthcare assistants in the clinical space. Optometry is becoming more primary care focused and DOs have the capacity to support this transition via ancillary tasks but, as a profession, we need to be competent first.”

OptiBlocks Education Committee’s Elise Paulin concurred, saying although a diploma course is still in the early stages, it will be a great move for the profession. “Our hope is that with the increase in our training we will see more tasks being delegated from the optometrist and a greater collaboration between optometrists and DOs.”