New evidence reveals crisis of confidence in GDC says BDA
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- Published: Thursday, 07 August 2014 07:26
- Written by News Editor
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The BDA has published results of its survey which shows that nearly 8 in 10 members don’t believe GDC can regulate effectively. Nearly 6,000 members, or 42 per cent of those invited to take part, responded within a very short time frame. Mick Armstrong said: “There is a real crisis of confidence between dentists and their regulator, and it must now be resolved.”
The BDA has also issued a video on this survey:
A British Dental Association (BDA) survey has revealed a growing crisis of confidence among dentists in their professional regulator – with nearly eight in 10 respondents casting doubt on the General Dental Council’s (GDC’s) ability to perform its regulatory function. As the GDC prepares to ramp up its annual retention fee (ARF) by an inflation busting 64 per cent the BDA has warned that more ‘heavy handed’ tactics risk further undermining the trust on which professional regulation depends.
Dr Mick Armstrong, Chair of the BDA's Principal Executive Committee, said: “Sound regulation depends on fairness, proportionality and transparency. And fundamentally it requires trust. The GDC is now failing on all these counts. Dentists demand effective regulation. But what we are getting from the GDC is heavy handedness, inefficiency and the expectation we will pick up the tab for their mismanagement. This outrageous fee increase has only served to confirm what many had long suspected about the GDC. There is a real crisis of confidence between dentists and their regulator, and it must now be resolved. The GDC can start by shutting down this flawed consultation, and thinking again. Because today there is one question on the minds of vast majority of dentists: is the GDC fit to regulate?”
Between 11 July and 21 July 2014, BDA members were surveyed about the proposed increase.
- 79 per cent of members are not confident that the GDC is regulating dentists effectively.
- Only 9 per cent of respondents thought the GDC was fair in the way it treats registrants.
- Just 12 per cent of respondents thought it was transparent.
- Fewer than 8 per cent agreed that the GDC was proportionate in its dealings with registrants.
- 77 per cent felt the GDC was not interested in their opinions when it holds a public consultation.
- 66 per cent of those who had experience of the GDC’s Fitness to Practise function rated the function fairly poor or very poor.
- 98 per cent disagreed with the proposed ARF hike - 54.4 per cent supported a rise in line with inflation.
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