At the Dentistry Show in Birmingham, the GDC acknowledged that its ‘processes were too long’ – but there were positive signs it is listening to the profession. Jaimie Kaffash reports
The GDC should never be seen as the benevolent uncle. It’s never been the benevolent uncle, But it shouldn’t be the serial killer uncle either. And it is moving away from that. You would never have seen the GDC sitting in an environment like this five years ago,’ said Dr Simon Thackeray, president of the British Association of Private Dentistry.
He was speaking at a seminar on complaints and regulation at the Dentistry Show in Birmingham today. Also at the seminar was Theresa Thorp, executive director of regulation at the GDC. And, perhaps surprisingly for some readers, she was well regarded by other panel members and the audience.
There was a level of honesty involved. ‘Our processes are too long’, she acknowledged. This doesn’t just affect the registrant – though it affects them most, of course – it also affects ‘the people who raises the concerns, witnesses, the loved ones of the registrants, it also affects concentration at work, makes people feel really anxious.’
The GDC are making attempts to change this, including processes around single complaints. ‘If somebody complains, raises a concern with us, and it is a single patient, with the registrant having no serious previous complaint, that case will be concluded within 16 weeks, rather than 30 weeks, which was the average before,’ she said.
This has been a success, agreed Dr Len D’Cruz, senior dento-legal advisor at BDA Indemnity. He agreed that the GDC are doing better.
‘The things we need from the GDC – and, to be fair, we have been getting it in the past few years – is accountability, transparency and humanity,’ he said. ‘We are starting to see more humanity from the GDC I am not going to sit here and be an apologist for the GDC, but there are a few things you (Theresa) have done directly that have given it a human face.’
It’s hoped that this isn’t the end to the friendlier face of the GDC. Ms Thorp said the regulator is looking to expand the criteria of the single patient concerns process, thereby speeding up its processes across the board.
There is also another area where it might be listening. Ms Thorp added: ‘We have to find the balance between making sure we are protecting the public, and maintaining the trust and confidence of the profession and helping people through the process in the right way.’
But there is a problem with offering support to people going through the fitness-to-practise process. ‘There are people who say this shouldn’t be our role, and we have listened to that,’ she said. ‘Because if you tell us there is a health concern, we are obliged under legislation to do something about it.
‘So we are looking at securing a third party provider to offer support and guidance through the process.’
Dr Stephen Henderson, a dentist, former head of dental division at the MDDUS and GDPUK blogger, was also on the panel. He pointed out that it is unsafe for patients – as well as registrants – hen processes take too long. ‘People under investigation make more mistakes. And that, I’m afraid, is where a delay at the GDC is completely unacceptable because it ten puts patients at harm. But if the process was dealt with quicker, fewer patients would be put at harm.’
With such a lot of harm caused by lengthy processes, all the panellists agreed that delays need to be eradicated – especially when only 18 cases led to the removal of GDPs from the register last year.
Ms Thorp also pointed out that the GDC’s annual report put the costs of the process at more than £13m in 2024.
No one would expect the GDC to become the benevolent uncle. But, if they become one that is more likely to listen to the profession, then everyone would benefit – dentists, the GDC itself and patients.