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Published: Wednesday, 02 November 2016 07:46

Written by News Editor

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Changes to the GDC’s fitness to practise process came into force on Nov 1. Case Examiners will now carry out the decision making functions currently performed by the Investigating Committee. Jonathan Green, Director of Fitness to Practise at the GDC, said: “Introducing Case Examiners will benefit patients, the public and dental professionals and improve the efficiency of the GDC’s fitness to practise process.

Case Examiners will have the authority to agree undertakings (for example, further training, or ceasing aspects of practise until re-training has been completed) with dental professionals under investigation, meaning only the most serious cases continue to the process of a full hearing, enabling a potential time and cost saving. Some dental professionals will no longer have to go through lengthy and potentially stressful Practice Committee hearings.

The 14 Case Examiners – who are a mixture of clinical and lay members - will work in pairs. In each case, one clinical and one lay Case Examiner will assess the evidence gathered during an investigation and use of a suite of outcome options, for example, issuing a warning, offering undertakings (agreements) or taking no further action and closing the case.

When there is a realistic prospect of the dental practitioner’s fitness to practise being impaired, they will refer the case to one of the three Practice Committees (conduct, performance and health). A change in the law means at any point during the investigation, Case Examiners can refer a serious case to the Interim Orders Committee.

Jonathan Green, Director of Fitness to Practise at the General Dental Council, said: “Introducing Case Examiners will benefit patients, the public and dental professionals and improve the efficiency of the GDC’s fitness to practise process. By not having to frequently convene an Investigating Committee, we will be able to make decisions quicker than before which benefits patients. We can take action straight away action to support the dental professional to improve his practise. This new way of working is also more cost effective, and at the same time relieves unnecessary stress to the dental professional.

“Where a professional demonstrates insight into their failings, remorse and a desire to remediate, we now have a mechanism to be much more proportionate and to agree undertakings in suitable cases without having to hold a full hearing. We only want to deploy our investigatory and prosecuting powers where they can make a difference to patient safety and protect public confidence in dental services, which inevitably will be in only the most serious and complex cases.”

Using undertakings, Case Examiners will be able to agree the steps that need to be taken to bring the practitioner’s practice up to the required standard. This may include further training or stopping aspects of treatment until the professional has completed additional training. Practitioners will be supported and encouraged by the GDC to improve for the duration of the undertakings.
The GDC has 14 case examiners, 6 dentists, 3 DCPs and 5 lay members. More details of changes and names of the case examiners appear at:

http://www.gdc-uk.org/Aboutus/Thecouncil/Pages/Case-examiners.aspx

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