Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed for The Dentist. You appear to be a popular choice with registrants and the media as the new chair of the General Dental Council.
1. You have been dental Dean at Manchester as well as your current role as professor of orthodontics. What prompted you to become a dentist?
This was a long time ago! I was influenced by my mother who was a single parent and who ran her own physiotherapy practice. Her work made me interested in becoming someone who cared for people. I also liked doing practical tasks, for example, taking bikes to pieces. As a result, the combination of caring and practical work attracted me to this career.
2. With all the problems associated with the GDC recently what made you stand for chair and what are the main differences you hope to make?
It is interesting that you say that there are problems as this implies that we are not aware of any issues at the GDC and are not addressing them. We do have some challenges to face, and I believe we will overcome them. As to why I stood for the chair, I simply felt that it was time for me to 'step up' and try to help.
We clearly have to make improvements to our Fitness to Practise (FtP) processes and we have already made inroads on the backlog of cases.
We're also reviewing our standards, our Scope of Practice document and our continuing professional development scheme. In addition, important development work continues on a scheme of revalidation for dentists. We are taking a range of steps to ensure that registrants have a full say in shaping any changes that may emerge from these key pieces of work and I encourage you all to take these opportunities as they come along.
In addition, we are developing a new approach to quality assuring dental education based on assessing learning outcomes rather than training inputs. The new curriculum for all groups of pre-registration students and starting a new round of inspections of the dental schools are big tasks, but I am very confident that we will succeed.
3. What are the particular skills and strengths that you can bring to the role?
It may be best to ask other people who have worked with me. In my previous roles I have been able to develop and lead strategy and also form good teams that work well together and these have always delivered. For example, I was made head of the dental school at Manchester at two day's notice. At this point it was widely recognised that we had tremendous challenges ahead of us. I formed a new management team that developed a clear strategy and with fantastic hard work by the staff in the school we were rated the number one school in the UK four years later.
4. You already have an important job as professor of orthodontics at Manchester Dental School. How long are you in the office at the GDC and how much time can you devote each week to GDC business?
I am in office until my term on the council expires in October 2013, spending two-and-a-half days of my week working for the GDC. This could be sitting on committees, attending meetings, reading council papers and learning as much as I can about how we can improve the work of the GDC and the effective regulation of dentistry as a whole. The rest of my time will be devoted to treating patients, teaching and research. I usually work long days, so this will be no problem!
5. Your most pressing challenge has to be FtP and the recent report from CHRE. How do you feel council might best respond and support this part of the GDC to ensure regaining some praise from CHRE?
We recognise that these are clear priorities and the chief executive, Evlynne Gilvarry is leading on many changes in this area. For example, at the last council meeting we approved several methods of improving the initial triage of complaints, including early involvement of clinical expertise. We intend that this will result in a reduction of cases going to the investigating committee. Most importantly, this will reduce the time that a registrant has to wait to hear the result of the initial investigation into a complaint to about four weeks. We also managed our finances well this year in terms of efficiency savings and this will enable us to invest substantially in additional FtP work next year. These changes have been well thought through and have already begun to address the issues raised by the CHRE report.
6. Morale in the GDC has taken a battering over the last two years. What steps do you plan to make to help to restore morale?
I am not convinced that morale is low at the GDC. We have a dedicated team of staff, council members and associates such as FtP and investigating committee panel members.
7. The budget has been set for you from the recent legislation that limits raising the ARF. Will the GDC have to make cuts and, if so, where will they be most likely?
To clarify – there was no legislation to prevent a rise in the ARF. The Government released a command paper Enabling excellence - autonomy and accountability for health and social care staff in February which stated: '...the Government would not expect registration fees to increase beyond their current levels, unless there is a clear and robust business case that any increase is essential to ensure the exercise of statutory duties.' The decision to keep the ARF at the current level for 2012 was therefore made by the GDC. When we raised the ARF last year it was certainly in my mind that we would not be making substantial increases this year. I would like to point out that while it increased last year it had not changed for four years. In terms of making 'cuts' the GDC is acting like any organisation in these times and continuously looking for efficiency gains.
8. Revalidation has been put on hold, but with complaints and litigation on the rise and the need to have greater involvement in maintaining standards, when do you intend to revisit revalidation?
Revalidation is not, and never has been, on hold. Our September council meeting considered the response to our consultation. There will be a full update in our next Gazette, which is sent to all registrants.All healthcare regulators, together with the health department in England and the devolved administrations, have been considering revalidation for regulated health professionals for some time.
We're committed to developing an approach that works well for dentists, while assuring patients and the public that dentists are up-to-date and practising in accordance with our standards. We are now considering our plans in light of the consultation findings.
Revalidation is the means by which, in the future, dentists will be required to demonstrate, at agreed intervals, that they continue to be up-to-date and comply with our Standards for dental professionals. The GDC will consider at a later date what dental care professionals will be required to do in order to revalidate.
We are also looking at our CPD scheme, in particular considering the role it plays in helping registrants to stay up-to-date and to practise in accordance with our standards. We are also exploring the most effective forms of CPD activity, and the best way of monitoring and administering it. A key aim is also to ensure that CPD requirements are woven into a proportionate scheme of revalidation in due course.
9. At the GDC workshop at the British Dental Association there was discussion about the complications that can present without any checks on EU dentists coming to work in the UK. Whilst acknowledging that compliance with European law is often illogical can you tell me how the GDC is progressing with standardising language checks?
The General Dental Council has actively contributed to the EU's recent consultation on the green paper on modernising the professional qualifications directive and presented arguments for a revised directive that is fully supportive of patient safety.
We're delighted to see that so many of the points have been taken forward in the House of Lords Social Policies and Consumer Protection EU sub-committee report on the mobility of healthcare professionals.
It's crucial that a healthcare professional should be able to communicate clearly (not just with patients, but also with clinical and other colleagues, when referring, prescribing or reading patient notes). The GDC and its equivalent bodies in other European countries must have the option of testing language skills where there are genuine concerns about an applicant's language ability.
We welcome the House of Lords' recognition that: 'a one-off test at the point of registration would potentially strengthen the system of free movement of healthcare professionals by increasing confidence in its provisions for assuring patient safety.'
We already share FtP information with the relevant bodies responsible for the regulation of dentists outside the UK. But not all countries within the EU reciprocate which creates a risk to the safety of patients. The GDC agrees that such information exchange should become a legal duty across Europe.
Following this report, we will continue to work with the EU Commission to achieve solutions that are supportive of freedom of movement but that do not put patient safety at risk.
10. There is so much controversy about the reworking of the 'Call me doctor' issue. Where do you see this going in the future especially in light of our European colleagues being addressed as such?
This issue was the subject of much debate when it was last considered by the Council. It is now being considered in the context of our wider review of standards and so the evidence we have gathered will be revisited as we undertake this review. The GDC has a significant programme of policy reviews for 2012 and we are prioritising those issues which have the maximum impact on our statutory role of patient protection.
11. Do you have any hobbies and what do you do to relax?
I have been a season ticket holder at Manchester United for 30 years, so this is a true obsession. I also garden, hill walk, have three adult children and a new grandson.
12. Thank you very much for your time. Is there anything that I haven't mentioned that you would like to pass on to our readers?
Thanks for the opportunity to talk to you. I am confident that we will make great changes over the next few years. I would also stress the importance of taking part in our consultations and research. This way, your voices will be heard and we can make strong, relevant, evidence-based policy.