Saxton Bampfylde and the Direction of UK Dentistry
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- Published: Tuesday, 25 February 2025 08:58
- Written by Peter Ingle
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Saxton Bampfylde, a London-based employment agency for the good and the great, may have more influence on whether GDPUK readers are practicing in the coming years than has had Wes Streeting, Jason Wong, the latest CQC Chief Executive, or even the private equity bosses of the larger corporates.
In their own words: “We exist to change the world by changing leaders in interesting and important organisations. At the same time we aim to create an environment wherein all members of our community can grow to their fullest extent emotionally, intellectually and spiritually.”
One of the “interesting and important organisations” Saxton Bampfylde are currently working with is the GDC. Their task is to recruit the next Chair to replace Lord Toby Harris. Lord Harris has declined a second four year term, citing his increased workload following the election of the Labour Government in July 2024.
The chair’s role is to ’lead the council in shaping its strategic vision’. This will be allied to the GDCs primary task of providing robust scrutiny of operations to protect public safety and confidence in dental services.
Specific responsibilities include fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement, working closely with council members and the executive team, and representing the GDC in external engagements across the UK to build trust with stakeholders.
As one would expect, the GDC has said that it welcomes applications from candidates who have a diverse range of backgrounds and can bring fresh perspectives and experience to its council. However the pool of eligible applicants will have some limitations. For example, the successful candidate is expected to bring significant non-executive board-level experience, as well as proven ability to lead through change and exceptional stakeholder management skills. Notably, a background in the public or regulatory sector, will be essential.
The details of this particular “Candidate opportunity” on the recruiter’s website make interesting reading. The Council the successful applicant will chair is tasked with promoting “a positive organisational culture, modelling public service principles and engaging with stakeholders to build trust.”
There is a 19 page candidate pack provided for applicants. Reading the introduction from Lord Harris, registrants might wonder just where he has been spending his time over the last four years. Apparently:
“We will always have public safety and confidence at the heart of what we do; but we are moving from a focus on enforcement when things go wrong, to an approach that emphasises learning within the system, resolving concerns locally wherever possible, and engaging more effectively with the dental professions.”
That is not all: “We aspire to be a trusted, high-performing regulator which is both effective and efficient, and this requires financial rigour and effective operation alongside a commitment to open engagement with stakeholders.”
Lord Harris also takes the opportunity to evaluate his own leadership: “Since my appointment as Chair in October 2021, I have been privileged to oversee a period of substantial progress for the GDC. We have strengthened our performance and financial sustainability. We have seen continued improvement in performance, our engagement with stakeholders has deepened considerably and we have maintained sustainable finances over this time.”
The outcome of the recruitment process will be a recommendation from the GDC to the Privy Council to make the relevant appointments. Candidates may not find out the outcome of interviews until July 2025. The remuneration is £55,000 per year. The initial term of appointment is expected to be for four years. In terms of time commitment, the role will require a minimum of two days a week from the new Chair. Most meetings are held in the GDC’s offices in central London, with at least one meeting a year in the Birmingham office and one meeting being held in one of the other three nations. Council Members, including the Chair, are eligible to claim expenses in accordance with the GDC’s policy.
Applications closed on February 24th. GDPUK has heard suggestions that there may have been a dearth of suitable applicants, although the GDC has provided no updates on progress.
The BDA has been calling for the next GDC chair to be a registrant, with Eddie Crouch going as far as saying that it would be seen as sign that the GDC had “turned a page.”
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