Although this is an unsatisfactory situation, Dental Protection is urging the GDC to act on the feedback and continue taking steps in a sensible direction.
Overall, the PSA found that the GDC had failed to meet almost one third (seven out of 24) of the PSA’s Standards of Good Regulation – and was particularly critical of the Fitness to Practise procedures. This time last year it was placed broadly on a par with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as one of the two worst performing regulators; however this year the GDC is the only regulator which is failing to meet six or more of the 24 Standards of Good Regulation.
The PSA Report has reached similar conclusions as those regularly and loudly voiced by Dental Protection, and has highlighted many of the same concerns, in identical areas of the Fitness to Practise process.
Kevin Lewis, Dental Protection’s Director, said:
“Nobody in UK dentistry should take any satisfaction from the PSA’s report and this is no time for any “I told you so” comments.
The GDC has been at pains to highlight the fact that this report refers not to the Fitness to Practise process as it exists today, but as it operated six to 18 months ago. To the GDC’s credit, they have taken these criticisms on the chin and have already been entering into constructive dialogue with Dental Protection, and with other interested parties, listening to both constructive criticisms and well-intentioned suggestions in equal measure and are taking sensible steps in the right direction. They should receive all due credit for that.
The profession may well be sceptical about the GDC’s ‘that was then and this is now’ stance. For this approach to remain credible, it is essential that ‘now’ must remain demonstrably and sustainably different from ‘then’.
“We are emerging from a wholly unsatisfactory situation and previous unrealised expectations that place even greater emphasis on the long term maintenance and embedding of the recent encouraging improvements. There is still plenty of work to be done, but there are more grounds for optimism that the PSA’s latest report might suggest. We look forward to our continued engagement with the GDC as they make further improvements over the upcoming months.”