GDPUK: Our Predictions for 2024
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- Published: Friday, 29 December 2023 11:09
- Written by Peter Ingle
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Following, what for many has been a challenging twelve months, the GDPUK team have donned their highest magnification loupes and looked into the future, to offer our predictions for the dental year ahead.
January: The Secretary for State at the Department for Health and Social Care, Victoria Atkins whilst answering a parliamentary question, assures MP’s that the next stages of the NHS dental recovery plan and contract reform will be announced soon.
The GDC reject a Freedom of Information request asking them about selection criteria for expert witnesses. The response in its entirety reads, “Information not held.”
The former CDO’s NHS training and access project in Ipswich announces that after some delays it will be seeing its first patients soon, and begins to make appointments.
February: The GDC publish the results of the YouGov survey they commissioned in late 2023. It confirms that 99% of respondents have heard of the GDC, and 95% found the survey easy to understand. Data regarding other questions that sought registrant’s opinion on their confidence and trust in the GDC, is absent.
March: The GDC turn down two more freedom of information requests regarding registrant mental health. The head of FTP writes a solemn blog on their website, explaining that this is to protect registrants from the stresses they would suffer, were they to see the relevant figures.
April: As NHS patient charges are increased, a new scheme inviting patients to pay now for a future course of NHS treatment, and fix the fee, is launched. This provides a welcome boost to NHS finances with would be patients paying for treatment they are unlikely to receive until 2026.
A meeting of the GDC’s Dental leadership Network has to be abandoned after 20 minutes when it emerges that all the carefully selected invitees agree completely on all the topics under discussion, and there is nothing to talk about apart from their holiday plans.
May: The CQC introduce their new universal standard framework assessment for all healthcare providers. In the first week twelve dental practices are closed because they do not have a suitable risk assessment for beds and cubicle curtains.
The GDC finally put up a news item on their website with advice to registrants and the public regarding the collapse of SmileDirectClub.
With much fanfare, the first patient is seen for an examination at the former CDO’s Ipswich dental centre. The appointment book is then closed until 2027 due to a combination of overwhelming demand, and the anticipated rate of treatment delivery.
June: Dental compliance providers rush out their templates for bed, cubicle and curtain, risk-assessments.
In a teaser about the promised contract reforms the Under Secretary of State reveals that sustainability will be at the heart of the new arrangements, and she looks forward to a return of NHS dentistry’s golden age. Based on the epoch changing 1948 NHS contract, the updates will promote the environmental benefits of treadle drills and reusable needles.
Speaking to the LDC conference GDC Chair Lord Harris announces that the ARF renewals process this year will contain a question about registrant mental health. Answering it, will be entirely voluntary. He also announces that non responders to the 2023 voluntary question about Private / NHS mix have been referred to Fitness to Practice for a breach of Standard 2.3.1
July: The Turkish ambassador to the UK is recalled back to Ankara in protest over continuing Turkey teeth stories in the press.
The charity Dentaid announce that a group of Malawian dentists and therapists have volunteered to come to the UK to help with the access crisis, and set up clinics.
Long overdue, the GDC reply to an FOI asking when they expect to deliver the promised data on suicides of registrants during FTP, which is itself now a year overdue. The response is “Information not held.”
August: Rumours start that the new contract will use 1948 fees.
The GDC publish a blog explaining their deep concern for registrant’s well-being. Two more freedom of information requests about mental health and fitness to practice are rejected on grounds that “it is not our problem” with advice that registrants “man up.” Subsequently the GDC apologise fulsomely - for the inappropriate use of the word man.
September: Interviewed on national TV about the lack of contract reform by an ill prepared Richard Madeley, BDA Chair Eddie Crouch finally snaps and tries to pull his hair out.
The GDC launch a consultation into their consultations.
October: Following the general election former Health Minister, Victoria Atkins announces that she is leaving politics and will set up a chain of dessert shops. There is some initial confusion in dental circles whether this should be spelt with a single or double ‘S’. Her replacement, Wes Streeting assures dentists that dental contract reform is a priority.
Eddie Crouch becomes a national hero following his outburst about contract reform and clueless television presenters, and is booked for Strictly Come Dancing and Love Island, but draws the line at appearing on Question Time.
In a footnote to a blog about the Chair meeting the first intake of NVQ level 2 Dental Physician Associates, it is mentioned that the GDC’s promised review of all of erasures for ‘topping up’ NHS fees has been indefinitely delayed.
November: Turkish newspapers run regular features on British Teeth. One particularly popular series features a Shropshire pensioner who explains how to extract your own teeth with a screwdriver, as well as his technique using bath sealant to replace lost fillings.
Rioting breaks out in Ipswich as all appointments at the new University of Suffolk Dental Centre are delayed by 18 months. The former CDO is commended for her leadership and bravery in what becomes known as the siege of the decon room.
The GDC add “you should show consistency” to the updated Standards for registrants. As part of their website guidance for this, their own failure to pass the Professional Standards Authority standards on Fitness to Practice for a decade, is cited as an example.
December:
The PSA publish their annual review on the GDC. Once again, the GDC fails to meet the standards for Fitness to Practice that are required by its own regulator. The GDC dust off their well used action plan for improvement, and send it to the PSA. The PSA dust off their equally well used acknowledgment, and then promise to monitor the GDC’s progress.
Wes Streeting announces that his department will be announcing interim changes to the NHS dental contract as a preliminary to more radical changes, at a date to be announced.
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