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Aipedia: Optometrists and opticians
Supervisors remain clinically responsible for patients seen by trainees, including where the trainee relied on an AI tool. With AI built into some equipment and used for study, supervision has to cover how trainees use it.
Part of: AI in Optometrists and opticians
In short
Pre-registration trainees and students may use AI, both built into practice equipment and as general chatbots for study and write-ups. In February 2026 the GOC joined five other regulators in a joint statement on AI in health and care professional education. GOC Standard 9 requires supervision to comply with the law, and clinical responsibility stays with the registrant who delegates. Standard 7.8 means the trainee and supervisor must both apply judgement to AI outputs. If a trainee misses a finding because they trusted the software, the supervisor may face a complaint or claim, and their indemnity should cover supervision.
Trainee optometrists and dispensing opticians meet AI in two ways. In clinic, OCT analysis, fundus grading, referral prompts and scribes are part of the equipment they are learning to use. Outside clinic, general-purpose generative AI chatbots are used to revise, prepare case records and draft reflective writing. Both carry risk: the first can shortcut clinical reasoning in front of patients; the second can produce confident but wrong clinical information that finds its way into practice.
Supervisors also learned their craft before many of these tools existed, so they may not know how a particular AI feature reaches its result or where it is weak. Supervision now includes teaching trainees when to distrust the software, which depends on the supervisor understanding it first.
In February 2026 the GOC, GPhC, GOsC, GCC, HCPC and RCVS published a joint statement on the use of AI in health and care professional education. It concerns education and training. It is a statement rather than a new standard of practice, so the GOC Standards of Practice still govern how registrants supervise trainees in clinic. The GOC also signed the September 2026 Joint Statement of Intent on AI, committing to future joint principles.
The College of Optometrists' interim AI position emphasises workforce training, and Optician Online reported that it recommends guidance on responsible use of general-purpose large language models. The College's draft 2026 guidance adds AI literacy as an expectation.
The GOC standards most relevant to supervising trainees are:
Illustrative scenario: a pre-registration trainee examines a patient while the supervisor is in the next room. The OCT software flags nothing, and the trainee records a normal result without showing the supervisor the scans. The supervisor signs off the record at the end of the day without reviewing the images. A missed finding later leads to a complaint. Questions are asked about both the trainee's reliance on AI and the supervisor's oversight.
Supervisors may face professional and civil exposure where supervision was inadequate. GOC Standard 12.2 requires adequate indemnity; supervisors should check that their cover includes supervising trainees, and trainees should know what cover applies to them, whether through their employer, the practice or their own arrangement. Claims are usually treated as arising from the professional care given, subject to the policy terms.
You can reduce the risk with these steps:
Related: GOC and College AI guidance, AI OCT analysis, does optical indemnity cover AI errors? and the optical AI hub.
Apex arranges PI for optometrists, dispensing opticians and training practices. A broker can confirm that supervision of trainees and their use of AI tools is covered; see our optometrist PI guide.
You may be. Under Standard 9 clinical responsibility stays with the registrant who delegates, and supervision must be adequate. If you did not review the images or the record, your supervision may be questioned.
It was a joint statement by the GOC and five other regulators on the use of AI in health and care professional education. It concerns education and training. It is not a new standard of practice, so your supervision duties still come from the GOC Standards of Practice, including Standard 9.
Only with care. Chatbots can produce confident but wrong clinical content, and patient details must not be entered into tools without proper data protection safeguards under Standard 14. Supervisors should set clear rules and check work.
A policy may, but check the wording and declare that you supervise. Also confirm what cover applies to the trainee. Gaps between employer, practice and individual cover can occur.
Tell us about your firm and the work you do. A broker will review how your current PI treats AI-assisted work, or arrange new cover. No fee for a quote. Or call 0117 325 0027.
Start a PI quote Request a callbackApex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This page is general information about how AI is used in the profession and how insurance may respond. It is not legal, regulatory or insurance advice on your circumstances, and it does not guarantee that cover will be available or on what terms.
