GDPC condemns Direct Access decision by GDC
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- Published: Thursday, 16 May 2013 09:53
- Written by Tony Jacobs
- Hits: 1563
Dentists’ representatives from across the UK have condemned the General Dental Council (GDC) decision to permit direct access to dental hygienists and therapists.
This reflects the opinions of a majority of dentists from all over the United Kingdom who believe the GDC decision was political and not based on the best interests of patients.
A meeting of the British Dental Association’s (BDA’s) General Dental Practice Committee (GDPC) on Friday 10 May voted unanimously in favour of the motion: “The General Dental Practice Committee condemns the flawed decision making process and subsequent decision of the General Dental Council to introduce direct access on the basis that its decision fails to protect patients.”
The General Dental Practice Committee is made up of more than 60 dentists from across the UK. Its members are elected by local practitioners.
GDPC Chair Dr John Milne said:
“By voting unanimously in favour of this motion GDPC members have sent a clear signal about their view on the GDC’s recent decision. The debate which preceded the vote saw expressions of deep concern for patients and palpable anger at both the GDC’s failure to properly consider the evidence for the change and the haste of its implementation.
“The Council’s decision fails to promote the concept and value of the dental team, which we believe is integral to the delivery of safe, high-quality care for patients. In failing to do so, it is misguided.”
Direct access
Maybes it's my relativly "junior " position in dentistry or maybe I've got the working end of the stick but... I don't think the GDC have gone far enough!I come from a 12 ish year background of emergency nursing and, to my view all the gdc has created is the dental equiviliant of nurse practitioners... And about time.
My dental colleagues please evolve! Medicine went through this many years ago and, although there was opposition (I suppose there always is to change), the medical profession has not collapsed and patients are not falling into ITU's across the country because of "limite d training".
If anything clauses like not letting DT's request X-rays are ludicrous! They read them and diagnose from them but can't "reques t" them... I could as a junior staff nurse.... And I don't, at the time, know one end of a fracture to the other!!
Fully encompass it... Let them request X-rays, let them do a non medical practitioners prescribing course (yes DT's prescribing?!?!?!?!?) and lets promote our fellow professionals!! !
It's about time, and I'm saying this coming from my previous career, the slightly old school, stuffy profession of dentistry realised we as dentists are not the be all and end all.... Our nurses, therapists and hygineists have a welth of experiance knowledge and ability that we could harnis moving our profession forward!
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