7 February 2012
GDC seeks views on fitness to practise changes
The General Dental Council (GDC) is launching a consultation on further changes to its fitness to practise (FtP) processes.
The proposed changes, which will require legislative amendment, follow a range of measures already introduced to improve the FtP system, ensuring it prioritises patient safety, is fair to the parties involved, is cost effective and timely.
A key change proposed is the introduction of FtP case examiners who would have a statutory role in the decision making process. Case examiners - drawn from a pool of dental professionals and lay people - would have powers to make decisions about the outcome of cases following initial assessment by a caseworker. Those powers would include:
concluding a case without further action;
issuing a letter of advice;
issuing a warning letter;
referring a case to one of the GDC’s committees (Performance, Conduct and Health).
The case examiners would not replace the Investigating Committee (IC) but, over time, would be expected to cause a significant reduction in the numbers of cases referred to the IC. The overall aim of this new role would be to ensure that:
resources are properly applied to cases of impaired fitness to practise;
our processes are sufficiently flexible to enable a tailored approach according to the seriousness of cases;
our processes are fair and transparent; and
patients are protected effectively.
A full public consultation will seek views about the proposals. This will run between Tuesday 7 of February and Monday 30 of April 2012. Anyone can respond to the consultation by filling in an online questionnaire on the GDC website.
The GDC is keen to hear from all stakeholders who have an interest in the future of FtP including patients, registrants and professional organisations.
The GDC began a major review of its FtP processes in 2011 and has already implemented a range of operational changes which have led to demonstrable improvements. For example there has been a reduction in the number of cases awaiting an initial decision by the Investigating Committee from 301 at the end of February 2011 to 129 at the end of December 2011.
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