Read the small print says GDC
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- Published: Wednesday, 19 July 2017 14:38
- Written by News Editor
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The GDC has issued a newsletter containing details of their advice to ‘check the small print of your indemnity and make sure you're covered’. It points out that ‘all dental professionals must, by law, have an indemnity arrangement or insurance policy in place. This is so that any patient who suffers harm can recover any money they might be entitled to through compensation, in the event of a successful claim’
The newsletter continues: “Making sure you are properly covered for things that might go wrong is an important part of every professional's responsibility to their patients. We know that there are lots of different types of cover available to dentists and DCPs. The best person to make a judgement about which sort of cover is right is the individual professional, who has the best understanding of the risks associated with their own practice.
“That's why the GDC doesn't make specific recommendations or provide advice on the type or extent of cover registrants take out. The relevant standard for the dental team says ‘you must have appropriate arrangements in place for patients to seek compensation if they suffer harm’.
The GDC goes on to point out that a recent case has highlighted that some insurance products on the market contain "exclusions" from cover that may mean that registrants who rely on them may not meet the standard and be putting patients at risk. For example, such policies may exclude cover for a failure to spot oral cancer or to prevent the transmission of blood-borne diseases.
The GDC advises: “We strongly advise all registrants to ‘check the small print’ of their cover, particularly in relation to exclusions. You need to satisfy yourself that any such exclusions don't compromise your responsibilities to patients. If they do, we expect you to rectify the position promptly and while doing so only practise in a way that is appropriate to the cover you have.
“In providing this advice we are making no distinction between the general effectiveness of different types of cover e.g. indemnity or insurance. What matters is that whatever type of cover you have, it enables you to meet the standard and ensure that patients are properly protected.”
The GDC points out that registrants can find more information, including the GDC's guidance on indemnity, in the professional hub of their website. The news letter can be found at:
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