The General Dental Council (GDC) has rejected a claim by the British Dental Association (BDA) that the current consultation on the level of the Annual Retention Fee (ARF) is unlawful. In a response to this letter today the GDC explains in detail that the consultation is based on a clear policy and that the consultation document includes sufficient information for dentists and dental care professionals to make informed responses.
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The BDA has published results of its survey which shows that nearly 8 in 10 members don’t believe GDC can regulate effectively. Nearly 6,000 members, or 42 per cent of those invited to take part, responded within a very short time frame. Mick Armstrong said: “There is a real crisis of confidence between dentists and their regulator, and it must now be resolved.”
The BDA has also issued a video on this survey:
Read more: New evidence reveals crisis of confidence in GDC says BDA
Inflammatory diseases can occur simultaneously in distinct sites in the same patient, complicating treatment because a medication effective for one disorder may exacerbate the other. One such example is the anti-arthritic medication dexamethasone, which alleviates joint disease but can worsen periodontal bone disease, according to a study in the August issue of The American Journal of Pathology.
Read more: Anti-arthritic drugs can make periodontitis worse
NHS England intends to make the NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT) a contractual requirement for dentists with an NHS contract to implement from April 1, 2015. They say: ‘Our approach has been to make the FFT flexible and create as little burden on practices and patients as possible’. There will be no additional funding to implement the system.
Read more: NHS Friends and Family Test to be mandatory for dentists
The General Dental Council (GDC) has requested a last minute extension to respond to a legal challenge set by the British Dental Association.
The BDA had spelt out its intention to pursue judicial review over the GDC’s botched handling of the consultation on the Annual Retention Fee (ARF) increase.[1] Lawyers working for the Association had set 4:00 PM today as a deadline to either shut down the consultation – or provide documentary evidence of the policy and the evidence on which the proposed 64% fee hike was based.
With just 2 hours left until that deadline the GDC formally requested an extension until next Tuesday afternoon.
A total of 72 LDCs across England and Wales have written an open letter to GDC chair, William Moyes. They say in conclusion: “We believe currently the GDC does not understand the very profession it regulates. We, as a large group of LDCs, ask that the GDC addresses the current situation. We call for an independent, full and public review of the GDC, examining its recent conduct and the efficiency of its functions.”