Alison Lockyer’s resignation to be investigated
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- Published: Saturday, 17 December 2011 20:06
- Written by News Editor
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| The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE), the regulator’s regulator is to investigate the General Dental Council (GDC). The Department of Health has written to CHRE and asked it to advise whether the GDC may be failing in any way to fulfil its statutory functions. The Department’s request follows concerns raised by the former chair, Alison Lockyer, on her resignation from the GDC. |
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The matters to be investigated concern:
- The fairness and proportionality of the processes adopted by the GDC in handling complaints about the former Chair
- The GDC executive’s approach to management of internal disputes between the executive and others.
The CHRE has met the former chair to hear her concerns. The GDC has said that it will cooperate fully with the investigation. The CHRE will be making no further comment on the investigation while it takes place.
There was much speculation about why Alison resigned. She issued a statement at the time saying that it is with regret that she has stood down. “It would not be appropriate at the moment for me to go into detail about my reasons for resigning, suffice to say that, over the last few months, there have been issues that have caused me concern. I remain passionate about the importance of protecting the public through professional self-regulation,” she said.
The British Dental Association (BDA) said it was ‘seriously concerned’ at the suddenness of Dr Lockyer’s resignation and were calling for the situation to be clarified as a matter of urgency. The BDA said: ‘The profession’s confidence in the regulator depends upon the integrity and robustness of the decisions it makes and it is important that the Chair is elected by the Council.’
Kevin Lewis, Dental Director of Dental Protection said “The dignified departure of Alison Lockyer as GDC Chair, and the measured but pointed terms of her public comments as she left office, should set alarm bells ringing that something profoundly disturbing has been happening at the GDC … Divisions are self-evident between some of the lay and professional members, and also between some Council members and the GDC Executive and staff. This is not good news for patients, and coincidentally it is not good news for the profession either at a time of such enormous challenge.”
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