How to Hire an Optometrist in 2026

Optometry recruitment is harder than it's been in years. The GOC's latest business survey found around 24% of practices found it 'very challenging' to recruit optometrists in the past year, and the profession is forecast to be roughly 2,000 practitioners short by 2030. Locum rates are climbing as a result. Here's how to fill a chair in 2026.

Why it's hard

• A ~2,000-practitioner shortfall is forecast by 2030, against steady demand.
• Roughly a quarter of practices report recruitment as very challenging.
• Locum day rates (~£295) are pulling people away from permanent roles.
• Candidates increasingly weigh testing-time and autonomy as heavily as salary.

What it costs

Agencies charge a percentage of salary per placement; on a £45,000–£55,000 optometrist that's a meaningful four-figure fee for one hire. Reaching GOC-registered candidates directly through a flat-fee board is far cheaper — and avoids the empty-chair locum spend that piles up while a role sits open.

Where to find GOC-registered optometrists

Independents win by reaching registered candidates directly and offering what chains can't: clinical autonomy, longer test times, and a genuine say in the practice. A private-practice board verified against the GOC register puts you in front of those candidates without the general-jobs-board noise.

What to offer

• Competitive base (£40,000–£55,000 in private practice) with a clear path to more.
• Independent prescribing or specialist development — a real draw for ambitious optometrists.
• Sensible testing times and clinical autonomy.
• Flexibility — part-time and school-hours roles reach a pool nobody else is advertising to.

The efficient way to hire

Post a verified role, lead with autonomy and development (not just pay), and move quickly — in a shortage market, responsiveness wins. It beats an agency fee on both cost and speed.

Sources: General Optical Council 2025 business registrant survey; College of Optometrists workforce forecasting; 2026 locum rate data.