Latest updates from the GDC

View from the Chair

Our Chair, Lord Toby Harris, covers the recent debates held in Westminster on access to NHS dentistry and workforce in his May blog post, along with reminders of the deadlines for responses to our current consultations and applications to join the fitness to practise panel. 

Our views on DHSC proposals to regulate AAs and PAs 

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has invited comments on proposals set out for consultation in Regulating anaesthesia associates and physician associates. It is presented as a future framework for full scale reform for all UK health and care professional regulators, including the GDC. We have now published our detailed response to the proposals, along with a short summary of our concerns for stakeholders. 

The consultation closes at 11.45pm on 16 May 2023.  

Our Costed Corporate Plan 2023 to 2025 published 

We have now published the latest annual update to our three-year rolling Costed Corporate Plan 2023 to 2025. You can review our plans for the next three years on our website.  

Have your say before our consultations close

The deadlines for responses to our consultations on the guidance we provide for dental professionals are now approaching. We would like to encourage our stakeholders to review and respond to these three important consultations. The deadlines are:

Consultation on updating guidance on indemnity and insurance closes 20 June.

Join us at next week’s Dentistry Show

We’re pleased to be exhibiting again at next week's Dentistry Show at the NEC in Birmingham on 12 and 13 May. We have two speaking sessions, one on all things CPD, why it matters and what you need to do, particularly timely as the CPD deadline for dental care professionals (DCPs) approaches. The other session will cover how clinical records are reviewed during a fitness to practise investigation.

We look forward to seeing you there, where we will be on hand to help answer your questions. You will find us at stand P70. 

Join our fitness to practise panel: applications close 10 May 

We’re looking for around 40 new people to join our fitness to practise panel. If you’re interested in making a contribution to public safety and confidence, in a flexible role that will fit around your existing work commitments, please apply by Wednesday 10 May.  

We’d particularly like to see applications from dental care professionals. We’re also looking for lay people to join the panel, so if you know anyone who might be interested, please pass on the details.  

Find out more about the role and how to apply. 

The GDC at the Scottish Dental Show 

We will be in attendance at the Scottish Dental Show on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 May 2023 at Braehead Arena. Please drop by our exhibition stand outside speaker room 2. We are also leading two workshops. On Friday 19 May at 3pm to 4pm our Executive Director, Fitness to Practise, John Cullinane, will present a session on recent improvements to our fitness to practise processes. On Saturday 20 May at midday to 1pm, our Head of Upstream Regulation, Ross Scales, will update on our proposed new framework of behaviours and outcomes for dental professional education. We look forward to meeting you.     

Workshop NHS Education for Scotland annual conference

We were delighted to lead a well-attended and engaged workshop session at the NHS Education for Scotland annual conference. We focused on the Scope of Practice consultation and updated on the recently closed consultation on the proposed Safe Practitioner framework for dental education and GDC’s activities in Scotland. With many thanks to all of the dental professionals and stakeholders who participated.