Covid-19: Dental Protection calls for GDC leniency
The GDC has been asked to take a lenient approach to complaints related to the treatment of patients during this Covid-19 crisis by an indemnifier. Dental Protection's survey of 500-plus dentists, completed following their return to work, shows that a third (33%) feel their mental wellbeing is worse than two weeks ago.
Some 55% of dentists in the same survey said that working in unfamiliar ways is a key concern, with 33% also saying that fear of regulatory investigation is having the most impact on their mental wellbeing.
In a letter to the Professional Standards Authority (PSA), which oversees work of all professional regulators of healthcare in the UK, Dental Protection has stated that guidance for the GDC and other regulators is needed that would provide more reassurance on the issue of when an investigation would be conducted or not.
Raj Rattan, Dental Director at Dental Protection, said: 'Dental professionals have faced a range of challenges throughout this pandemic, and many have now returned to work in equally in unsettling and challenges circumstances – working in different ways, worrying about their health and that of their patients, and facing a backlog of patients with problems potentially due to the delay in treatment.
'The GDC and other regulators proactively issued a joint statement in March confirming they will fully consider the context which dentists have been practising in during this time when reviewing any complaints they receive.
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