DT News - UK - GDC announces changes to fitness to practise process, Lays out road map

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 2 February 2016

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LONDON, UK: The General Dental Council (GDC) has announced legislative change that will see the introduction of case examiners to streamline its fitness to practise process. By reducing the number of cases heard by the regulatory body, the organisation hopes to save £1.8 million per year.

According to the GDC, case examiners will carry out the decisions currently made by its Investigating Committee. They will be able to make agreements with dental professionals to help them meet the required standards through training, allowing the person to practise under supervision of another registered dental professional or by allowing him or her to work if he or she meets certain conditions.

“When someone is being investigated by the GDC, we recognise this places the person under considerable stress and anxiety,” commented Director of Fitness to Practise at the GDC Jonathan Green on the change. “While we absolutely have a duty to protect patients by taking swift action against those who should not be practising dentistry, we must make the entire process as efficient, seamless and timely as possible by providing the necessary support.”

The organisation received over 3,000 cases in 2014 according to its annual report. Approved by both the Houses of Parliament and the Scottish Parliament, the new legislation will come into effect on 13 April. It is part of a three-year road map aimed at making dental regulation in the UK more effective, the organisation said.

In addition to the introduction of case examiners, improvements will be made to the current complaints system, which will be addressed locally when possible. Further goals are to enhance transparency and to improve patient information.

“We want patients to be able to make informed choices about their care so when they visit a dentist or dental care professional, they are confident that the treatment they receive is from someone is who qualified and trained to deliver the best possible care,” William Moyes, Chair of the GDC, commented. “We also want to help the profession to continuously improve by using our standards as a guide and sharing best practice to deliver the best quality of care to every patient, in every setting, every time.”

The GDC has come under fire recently from both legislators and the British Dental Association over an investigation into a whistle-blower’s complaint by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care that identified a number of governance issues at the organisation’s top.

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