A Right Royal Announcement

Please Raise your Standard to Celebrate the Birth ...

Well, the holiday season is well and truly upon us.  If you are reading this on the “small screen optimised” version of GDPUK.

I hope you have a good rest  :)

Wow – anyone would think the Royal birth was an event destined to mask any bad political news. How shockingly cynical!!  I am sure we all wish the wee B-Cam [as Dermot O Leary was heard describing the new Prince] a long and happy life and possibly even a reign.

Of course, it was not the only birth to be announced.

After a long gestation period, as is normal of the species of regulation, the GDC were proud to announce the birth of its new Standards Document, effective when you finally realise the holiday season is truly over. In fact despite the GDC trying to shoehorn everyone on-line, they seem to think they should send a hard copy to everyone.  So that’s where £10 of your registration fee will go!

Now if you want to use your time wisely I suggest you get your head round the prescriptive nature of the document.  This is not guidance – this is a dental practice instruction manual.  A Regulatory cook book worth of MasterChef.  What a stew they have created, non detail left unregulated, words steamed perfectly to just have that al dente bite, served in a gourmet extravaganza of unrepeatable Quango wizardry.

Your mission:  Learn the definition of the word MUST  in this document.

The Standards document defines the word helpfully:  ‘Must’ is used where the duty is compulsory

There are over 180 references to the use of the word MUST.

When the general  view was expressed within the profession and from without that the GDC needed to get a grip I am not sure they had this in mind.  The undergraduate course just had 6 months tacked on to it just to teach this!

Perhaps the area that intrigues me is Paragraph 7.1

This states:

Standard 7.1
You must provide good quality care based on current evidence and authoritative guidance
7.1.1 You must find out about current evidence and best practice which affect your work, premises, equipment and business and follow them.
7.1.2 If you deviate from established practice and guidance, you should record the reasons why and be able to justify your decision.

Now is it me? Is there really evidence for every aspect of dental care you offer your patient -  I thought the whole problem with dentistry related to a shockingly poor evidence base and that much of technical dentistry relied upon a large dollop of good judgment and wisdom.  And who is to judge who is authoritative? And how do you become an authrority?  Or are these the next areas of the ever expanding GDC workload?  

Good judgement and wisdom in registrants seem to be concepts alien to the new GDC.

With all the mention of the NHS or the as yet unfamilar 'equivalent Health Service', you don't think this document has the sticky fingers of the Department of Health all over it do you?

Oh well, you have been warned.  The GDC have bought in a new armory of sticks.  If you should find yourself being called to order by a malcontent patient, be prepared for a bruising. 180 lashes for you, dear colleagues.

For sure, there is now so much for you to remember that you will be regarded as guilty until proven innocent which if of course highly unlikely after October 1^st.  Gawd 'elp you if you are trying to do any dentistry at the same time!

Orwell, mate – roll in your grave.

Bon Vacanes mes amis 

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From http://www.gdc-uk.org/Dentalprofessionals/Standards/Pages/standards.aspx

Our Council approved the new Standards for the Dental Team at its meeting on 20 June 2013.  Standards for the Dental Team will replace the current Standards Guidance and accompanying statements, except for Scope of Practice, on Monday 30 September 2013.

A copy of Standards for the Dental Team will be sent in the post to everyone on our register at the end of August but you are also able to download a copy.

The GDC http://tinyurl.com/p7cgqnr