The PSA’s latest performance assessment of the GDC found the dental regulator was taking too long to deal with fitness to practise cases.

For the period covering 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023, the key findings are:

  • The GDC did not meet Standard 11 because it is taking too long to register dentists and dental care professionals.
  • The GDC did not meet Standard 15 because it is taking too long to deal with fitness to practise cases.
  • The GDC re-started the Specialist List Assessed Applications process which had been paused since March 2022.
  • The GDC tripled the number of places for Part 1 of the Overseas Registration Exam this year and plans to maintain these numbers for sittings in 2024. It also plans to increase the number of Part 2 sittings from three to four in 2024.
  • The GDC and partners have been revising all 13 curricula for dental specialty training since 2015 and the final revisions were published this year. The 13 specialisms will take effect for all specialty trainees from September 2024.

In the report, the PSA wrote:

“Last year, the GDC did not meet Standard 15 as it was taking too long
to investigate fitness to practise cases … the time taken to investigate cases has not significantly improved this year.

“The number of old open cases also remained relatively stable over the review period.  The GDC has outlined actions to improve performance in this area, but there is so far limited evidence of the impact of these measures. Standard 15 is not met. We will continue to monitor the GDC’s progress.”

 

UK Fitness to Practise News

The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) reviewed the General Dental Council’s (GDC) performance against its
“Standards of Good Regulation”. It carries out performance reviews on a three-year cycle; every three years, the PSA carries out a more intensive ‘periodic review’ and in the other two years we monitor performance and produce shorter monitoring
reports.

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