DDU sees GDC's new focus as move in right direction
The Dental Defence Union (DDU) welcomes today’s announcement by the GDC that it plans to change its focus towards prevention.
Commenting on the publication today of Shifting the balance: a better, fairer system of dental regulation, Leo Briggs, deputy head of the DDU, said:
“There are too many complaints going to the GDC that fall outside its powers and should be made more appropriately elsewhere. Even if the GDC closes the complaint at an early stage as it doesn’t meet the fitness to practise procedure, it is often devastating for dentists and other dental professionals. We welcome the GDC’s commitment to work with other bodies, such as the DDU, to explore a number of different ways of solving the problem and stemming the flow of inappropriate complaints.
“As the regulator for dental professionals, the GDC should only be involved where there are concerns about a registrant that suggest there may be a serious risk to patients or others.
“As the GDC acknowledges, most patient complaints can be addressed by the practice in the first instance, and there is no need for them to be referred to the regulator. The DDU is committed to working with members to help them to achieve these sorts of outcomes.
“We also welcome the recent joint statement on dental complaints, on which the GDC collaborated with other regulators and organisations, which should help to ensure NHS and private patients get clear and consistent messages about what to do if they have a problem. We welcome any moves to consistently signpost patients to the practice as the first port of call for any complaint.
“We will be scrutinising these proposals on behalf of our members to ensure they have the desired effect of making the regulatory process more efficient, proportionate and fairer for all involved.”
