Measures to improve the GDC’s processes on fitness to practise

The Department of Health is seeking views on proposals to make the GDC’s early investigation stages of its fitness to practise processes more effective and efficient, through amendments to the Dentists Act 1984. These amendments will:

• enable the GDC to delegate the decision-making functions currently exercised by its Investigating Committee to officers of the GDC, known as Case Examiners
• enable both case examiners and the Investigating Committee to address concerns about a registrant’s practice by making an agreement with the registrant about their future practice
• introduce a power to review cases closed following an investigation if the decision is materially flawed or new information has come to light which may have altered that decision
• ensure a registrant under investigation can be referred to an Interim Orders Committee at any time during the fitness to practise process