“The pace of change is still disappointingly slow”: GDC comments on regulatory reform

As the regulator of the UK dental team, while the GDC strongly supports the government’s reform intentions, it has considerable reservations about how effective these proposals will be in modernising healthcare regulation.

The GDC is particularly concerned about the proposed framework for fitness to practise (initial assessment and grounds for impairment), the proposed introduction of the need to prove an intent to deceive in illegal practice, and the proposals on fee-setting. In many places, the draft legislation is simply not clear, creating risks of uncertainty and confusion if it is not improved.

But the GDC’s greatest concern is that it still does not have an indicative timetable for reform of the Dentists Act, which means the opportunity for improvement is still years away.