BDA attack GDC "mountain to climb on Fitness to Practise"
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- Published: Tuesday, 15 November 2016 08:00
- Written by News Editor
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The British Dental Association (BDA) has said the General Dental Council (GDC) must not be distracted from fixing its Fitness to Practise function, following the latest report from the Professional Standards Authority.
The report shows that while the GDC has shown improvement this year, it has failed to meet standards 4, 8 and 10 on Fitness to Practise, with issues raised on the review and prioritisation of complaints, the quality of final decisions, and the secure retention of information on cases.
BDA research has found that many GDPs identify anxiety over complaints and Fitness to Practise as a common source of stress.
BDA Chair Mick Armstrong said: “The General Dental Council has a mountain to climb to cast off its reputation as Britain’s least effective and least efficient health regulator.
“This profession acknowledges signs of progress, but the GDC has no grounds for complacency. Today a dentist is still expected to pay more than any other healthcare professional for a regulator that still cannot provide an adequate fitness to practise function.
“There can be no room for distractions, pet projects or mission creep while the dental regulator remains incapable of delivering on its fundamental purpose.”
GDPUK continues to monitor and report on GDC fitness charges and outcomes. In a recently publicised case, a practitioner has been charged as unfit to practise as "he did not return phone calls from a patient".
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