Case study · Regulators
Public perceptions research for the GOC
Representative public research across all four UK nations helped the GOC understand experiences and perceptions of optical professionals and track how these changed over time.
Audience2,000 UK adults aged 16+
ApproachRepresentative online consumer survey with UK-nation oversampling
Value to General Optical CouncilPublic evidence to support the GOC's patient-protection role
The brief
- The GOC undertakes regular public research to understand views and experiences of the optical professions across the UK.
- Enventure Research delivered fieldwork for several waves, including the 2019 study.
The approach
- 2,000 UK adults aged 16+ were interviewed through an online consumer panel.
- Interlocking quotas ensured a representative sample by age and gender within each UK nation.
- Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland were oversampled to support robust analysis at nation level; earlier Enventure waves had used online, telephone, and face-to-face approaches.
The outcome
- The findings provided updated insight into public perceptions and experiences of optical services.
- The research supported the GOC in understanding how it could improve as a regulator and fulfil its statutory public-protection role.
- Published outputs included the report, infographic, and data tables.