Dental Protection voices concern regarding Fitness to Practise procedures

17 January 2011

On the front cover of the latest issue of Riskwise you will find an article that takes a close look at the GDC’s Fitness to Practise procedures which are currently operating at a level never before seen in the UK.

On a purely statistical basis, UK registrants are at least twice as likely as their colleagues in the USA and Australia (for example) to find themselves under some kind of challenge from their professional regulator, and they are several times more likely to do so than their colleagues in many other parts of the developed world, including Europe.

The article details aspects of the current GDC procedure which give rise to concern as well as offering support for the Council’s intention to review some of their procedures.

Speaking from their Edinburgh offices, Kevin Lewis Director of Dental Protection said,

“DPL has always taken an active role by working at the heart of the profession on behalf of the 70% of dental registrants who are also DPL members. In addition to highlighting our concerns about excessive regulation of the dental profession, we look forward to contributing to the GDC’s recently announced review of its existing guidance documents, with a view to producing new guidance in early 2012, in the hope that the concerns we raised in Riskwise will be addressed.”

“It would be very easy for Dental Protection to criticise from the sidelines, but we feel that it is more constructive and in the interests of our members to maintain a dialogue with the GDC and this is precisely what we are doing. However our members have a right to know what our position is on these important matters and the reasons for it.’

Members of Dental Protection can read the full article in Riskwise UK and Riskwise Scotland. Non-members can find the article here

Media contact
David Croser
Dental Protection
33 Cavendish Square
London
W1G 0PS

T: 020 7399 1339 E: david.croser@mps.org.uk

Dental Protection Limited (registered in England No. 2374160) is a member of the Medical Protection Society Limited (registered in England No.36142) group of companies. Both companies have their registered office at 33 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0PS. MPS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MPS are discretionary as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association