BDA calls for greater clarity on health regulation reforms

The British Dental Association (BDA) has urged the government to provide more details on its promised plans to overhaul healthcare sector regulation.

Concerns have been raised by the industry body about the complete omission of any reference to healthcare regulatory reform in the recent Queen's Speech, despite prime minister David Cameron having pledged to take action on this front in 2013.

The UK Law Commissions subsequently produced a draft bill on reform of healthcare regulation, but it has not secured any parliamentary time. This is despite the commitments of support that professional associations, trade unions and healthcare regulators themselves have made to these efforts.

Mick Armstrong, chair of the BDA, said: "This government needs to make time to fix a broken system of regulation. This isn't rocket science. The Law Commissions have already produced a draft bill that could represent at least a starting point."

The BDA is keen to see sweeping reforms of the General Dental Council, the statutory body responsible for regulating UK dentistry, over concerns about its effectiveness and transparency.

It urged health secretary Jeremy Hunt to continue to scrutinise the organisation's performance upon his reappointment to the post following the election earlier this month.