It has been a turbulent few months at the GDC. Challenges have included: high level departures, continued pressure over its failed Fitness to Practice (FTP) process, including from its own regulator, and increased awareness of its reluctance to admit the numbers of registrants that have committed suicide during FTP. Despite this, things have recently got worse for the regulator.
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Announcing its long anticipated Dental Recovery Plan, the Government repeatedly claimed that an additional £200M was being pumped into NHS dentistry to help it address the access crisis. Even the BBC News was seemingly taken in government spin, its February 7th report stating "To support the proposal, an extra £200m will be invested on top of the £3bn currently spent each year".
Read more: Gotcha! Leadsom Confirms £200M For Dentistry Is NOT Additional Funding
Media headlines on April 1st are always laden with spurious news, however, few in Wales were amused by the Welsh Government’s announcement that NHS dental charges have risen by up to 36%.
Read more: Welsh Dental Patients Charges Increased By Up To 36%
The GDC is proposing major changes that will update the way it operates. This may be as a response to complaints that it has failed to keep up with developments in technology that other organisations have embraced.
There is a serious lack of information about what dental professionals actually do. Whatever the question might be about: hours, working under Private or NHS systems, delivering maintenance, or high ticket reconstructions, there is a lack of solid data.
As previously reported by GDPUK (linked here) a Coroner has strongly criticised the GDC following their investigation into the death of a dentist. As a result, she wrote a ‘Report to prevent future deaths.’
Read more: Dentist Suicides: GDC Reply to Coroner: Masterclass in Deflection and Evasion