GDC should remain sole regulator says Dental Protection

GDC should remain sole regulator says Dental Protection

The GDC should remain the dedicated regulator in reform plans, but opportunity for improvement must be seized, Dental Protection said in its response to the Department of Health consultation on  the future of professional regulation in healthcare. Raj Rattan, Director at Dental Protection, said: “In many areas reform is long overdue.”

While there is need for significant improvements to the GDC’s Fitness to Practise processes, and the legal framework which underpins regulation, the GDC should remain the dedicated dental regulator, Dental Protection said in its response to the Department of Health (DH) consultation on  the future of professional regulation in healthcare.

Dental Protection said change is long overdue - but warned against reform that would see the creation of a ‘super regulator’ or a similar large scale amalgamation which could result in a lack expertise and understanding of the distinct professions. It said there was a strong case for the GDC to remain the regulator for dentists and dental therapist as they carry out high risk interventions within a clinical setting on a daily basis and as such, require a regulator with the requisite experience and expertise.

Dental Protection has however urged DH to use the opportunity to significantly improve the GDC’s Fitness to Practise function and ensure the regulator follows a fair process that patients, dentists and the governments of the UK can have confidence in. It said the legislation which underpins the work of the GDC is outdated and in some areas requires them to conduct their operations in a way that is inefficient and not in the best interest of patients or professionals.

Raj Rattan, Director at Dental Protection, said: said: “We welcome the Government’s desire to drive forward the debate on the shape and structure of healthcare professional regulation. In many areas reform is long overdue. After the important question of what organisation should regulate dentists, no issue is of more fundamental importance to the reform debate than Fitness to Practise.

We support dentists and other healthcare professionals day in day out as they go through this often long, complex process and see the physical and psychological impact. A range of improvements are needed, and this consultation presents a real opportunity to bring the legislation that underpins regulation up to date, while retaining the important statutory safeguards that ensure a transparent, consistent and fair Fitness to Practise process for all.”

The DH consultation Promoting professionalism, reforming regulation was published in October 2017.

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