The GDC – are they finally turning a corner?

The determinations from the GDC's Case Examiners are rolling off the printers and, whilst there are some ‘teething’ problems, from an early view of the situation, the main aim of reducing the number of cases being stuffed into the Fitness to Practice ‘sausage machine’ might just be slowing down.

There have been many drivers to introduce Case Examiners, not least of which is that the General Medical Council have had them for many years without too many tears.

Under the legislative framework, a Section 60 order is required to allow amendments to the Dentists Act 1984. The GDC has been looking for these changes since the Department of Health committed to proposals to make the necessary legal changes as far back as November 2014. Two years later, the Case Examiners, appointed and directly employed by the GDC, began their work in earnest on 1st November 2016.

The triage and initial investigation of a complaint or concern about a dentist's fitness to practice are the same as before. Following an investigation and involvement of external clinical advisors who review any clinical issues, the allegations are referred not to the Investigating Committee, as before, but to Case Examiners.