BDA: Six points to reject ARF hike
The British Dental Association (BDA) has written to the General Dental Council (GDC) to call on it to reject all three proposed options for a rise in the annual retention fee (ARF) ahead of its meeting on Thursday.
It has outlined six reasons for members to vote against the three tabled proposals, arguing that the GDC has repeatedly altered the methodology and justification for its proposals.
The BDA has revealed the regulator had painted an alarmist and inaccurate picture of rapidly accelerating complaint levels. Documents published in June told consultees that it expected complaints to rise to 3,500 this year – however analysis of figures in a recent KPMG review saw that figure “adjusted downwards throughout the budget process”. The new figure is now 3,000 cases for 2014 – just ten more than the actual activity level for 2013.