GDC published change to IoT determinations policy

The General Dental Council has announced a change to what will be published following decisions by the Interim Orders Committee.

From today (2/7/24), the Dental Professionals Hearings Service will no longer publish determinations made by the Interim Orders Committee. Instead, the outcome will be published on its website after a hearing or review has taken place, including any action taken to protect the public, patients, or dental professionals. Any restrictions on registration will continue to be added to the online register.

“The change is part of our ongoing commitment to reduce the negative impacts of the fitness to practise process on dental professionals’ health and wellbeing”, the GDC said.

All previously published Interim Order Committee determinations have now been removed from the Dental Professionals Hearings Service website and replaced with the outcome of any hearing or review. Where no order is imposed by the Interim Order Committee, the outcome will be published for one month and then removed.

There may be instances where it is necessary in the public interest or in the interests of the dental professional or other parties concerned for the Registrar to apply discretion to this policy. The GDC expects these circumstances to be limited, and the need to apply discretion rare.

Theresa Thorp, Executive Director, Regulation, at the GDC, said:

“By limiting publication to the outcomes and any restrictions on a dental professional’s registration, we aim to maintain public safety and confidence while minimising negative effects on dental professionals while fitness to practise matters are investigated. This change in policy recognises that allegations are untested at an Interim Orders Committee hearing or review because its role is to assess risk and not to determine the facts of a case.”

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