GDC launches consultation on ARF for 2016
The General Dental Council (GDC) has launched a consultation on the level of its annual retention fee (ARF) for dentists and dental care professionals 2016. It has suggested that the ARF levels remain the same as in 2015.
‘The GDC is committed to being a transparent regulator,’ Evlynne Gilvarry, chief executive and registrar, said. ‘This includes setting out clearly what the ARF funds and that is why we are launching this exceptional consultation today.
‘We want to be clear with the public, dental professionals and our other important stakeholders about how we have calculated the fees for dentists and dental care professionals, and how the income will be used to fund all our work to ensure patients continue to be protected and public confidence in the dental profession remains high.’
The GDC says that it wants to be transparent in regards to how it uses its resources and fees, and calls the consultation an opportunity to set out clearly how the ARF will fund the work of the GDC in 2016.
The GDC has stated that there has been a 121% increase in complaints about dental care since 2010, which led to the GDC improving its complaints investigation process, which the ARF will be used to fund. However, the GDC also notes that whilst the number of complaints have increased, annual surveys of patients still show high levels of confidence in dental professionals and the care that they give to their patients. This has led Evlynne Gilvarry to say that there is “no reason to believe that the rise in complaints is due to a decline in standards in dentistry.”
The GDC’s response to the significant increase in complaints has been to heavily invest in order to ensure that it is able to deal effectively with the rise in complaints. Gilvarry stated that the GDC wants to “make complaint resolution more responsive and efficient, while ensuring it is fair. The ARF will be used to fund this important work.”
Gilvarry has also said that the GDC are “committed to setting the fee at a level that is no higher than is needed to do our work effectively. We set the ARF based on the principle that we will only charge the amount that it costs to regulate the profession in a way that protects the public and is fair to dentists and dental care professionals.”
Projections of the level of complaints, which the GDC believe will remain at peak levels, and sound financial modelling covering the work of the GDC means that the proposal for the ARF for 2016 will remain the same as it was in 2015: £890 for dentists and £116 for dental care professionals.
The consultation for the GDC closes on the 3rd of November, 2015. The GDC have stated that says it is also taking the opportunity to consult on other aspects of their work, such as setting out financial and other information the proposed ARF is based, and seeking views on the level of the fees.
