GDC to introduce new method dealing with patient concerns

The General Dental Council (GDC) has announced the introduction of a new process that aims to encourage dental professionals and patients to resolve their own concerns.

Under the new system, when a concern is sent to the regulator that does not significantly impact on a dental professional's ability to practise dentistry, an agreement will be made for the issue to be referred to the NHS to resolve.

These include isolated incidents where no pattern of repeated behaviour can be seen, or instances of poor communication and record keeping, including times where the dental professional has failed to adequately explain charges.

The new process is known as GDC NHS concerns handling and is being rolled out more widely following a pilot conducted last year with the majority of NHS England's regional teams.

With this system in place, it is hoped that the GDC will be able to focus its resources on cases involving serious performance issues or allegations of misconduct where harm to a patient – or a significant risk of harm – is involved.

Jonathan Green, director of fitness to practise issues at the GDC, said: "Using local remediation to address performance issues where the person's ability to carry out dentistry is not in question saves the dental professional from going through a stressful and costly fitness to practise process when it is not necessary."

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