GDC launches consultation on ARF policy for 2016

The General Dental Council (GDC) is seeking opinions on its decision to freeze its annual retention fee (ARF) in 2016, following the controversial 55 percent hike introduced last year.

An exceptional consultation is being launched to set out the financial and other information on which the proposal is based, as well as to canvass views on the planned level of the ARF.

The GDC is arguing that the fee needs to remain at the level at which it was set last year – 890 pounds for dentists and 116 pounds for dental care professionals – based on the high caseload the regulator needs to cope with.

Evlynne Gilvarry, chief executive and registrar at the GDC, said: "The GDC is committed to being a transparent regulator. This includes setting out clearly what the ARF funds, and that is why we are launching this exceptional consultation."

However, the British Dental Association – which took the GDC to court over the unpopular fee increase last year – has slammed the proposal, saying this shows "nothing has changed" despite the widespread criticism the regulator faced last year.

It noted that the GDC is the most expensive healthcare regulator in the UK and was recently identified as the worst performing regulator by the Professional Standards Authority.