Visiting rights

Recent figures from Dental Protection show that 25 years ago a dentist had a one in five chance of being sued by a patient, but that has now changed – alarmingly – to the new reality of being sued at least five times in a practising career. Is it us - or are we allowing the odds to be stacked against us?

At least 16 organisations now have the power to visit your practice to check up on all sorts of aspects of your practising life, and many of these 'regulators' seem to start with the premise that GDPs are always trying to get away with it, or do the minimum necessary. It is now strongly advised that you should no longer work five full days with patients, but instead spend more time writing notes, following up referrals and ensuring compliance.

So not only are we faced with closer inspection from the CQC, escalating costs, patients more ready to sue and increasing litigation, but we will have less income from doing treatments to pay for it all.