It has been announced that David Prior has stepped down as Chair of the Care Quality Commission to become a Health Minister in the new Conservative government and will be given a peerage. He succeeds Earl Howe as Minister but his responsibilities have yet to be confirmed.

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Read more: CQC leader to join Government

The British Dental Association (BDA) has called on returning Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to tackle “unfinished business” on professional regulation. They have written asking him to launch a fundamental review of dental regulation. The Chair of the PEC, Mick Armstrong, said: “Professional regulation cannot get bumped to the bottom of the in-tray for the Health team.  The unambiguous and sustained failures at the General Dental Council are unfinished business, and require a clear response.”

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Read more: BDA calls on Hunt to act over GDC

Following last week’s General Election, the Prime Minister has announced a new Government team. The main changes involve filling posts left vacant by Lib-Dem MPs. Jeremy Hunt MP for South West Surrey continues as Secretary of State for Health although Lord Howe has left the team.

The initial published announcement from DH included Lord Howe as a Minister, but this was changed during the day on 13th May.

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Read more: New team of Health Ministers announced - AMENDED

The FGDP (UK) has launched its Open Standards Initiative, which offers all dental professionals access to the highly regarded standards and guidance documents produced by them whether they are members of the Faculty or not. The Dean, Trevor Ferguson, said: “We want our standards and guidance documents to reach the widest possible audience for the benefit of the profession and the patients we treat.”

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Read more: FGDP(UK) launches Open Standards Initiative

The British Dental Association’s (BDA) Mick Armstrong has issued a rallying cry to dentists to throw off the image of “the quiet profession” and rise to the challenge in the next parliament. The Chair of the Principal Executive Committee used his address to BDA Conference in Manchester to outline key strategic priorities for the BDA, including a focus on dental regulation, contracts and workforce morale.

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Read more: Mick Armstrong issues rallying cry to the profession