CHRE Performance review report 2011-12 - Professional Standards ...

Issuing additional guidance in response to identified risks
During 2011/2012 the GDC published guidance on the ‘Principles of Ethical
Advertising’. This new guidance should help to provide clarity to the dental
profession on what should and should not be included in any promotional
material, and thereby help to ensure that such material is not misleading to
patients or the public. In addition the GDC has reminded registrants of their
responsibilities to comply with its standards when participating and advertising
in on-line discount schemes.
In response to concerns that were raised by the Independent Healthcare
Advisory Service about inappropriate remote prescribing by GDC registrants,
the GDC also published guidance clarifying that registrants should not
prescribe remotely in relation to cosmetic procedures such as the prescription
or administration of Botox or injectable cosmetic medicinal products. This
mirrors the guidance already provided by the GMC and NMC to their
registrants, and we consider that it has obvious benefits for patient safety.
Developing its working relationship with the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Dental practices in England are now regulated by the Care Quality
Commission (CQC) (April 2012). As we reported in last year’s performance
review, a Memorandum of Understanding has been put in place between the
GDC and the CQC to assist them in operating their co-regulatory role. The
GDC has reported that it is currently working with the CQC to refine the
information-sharing mechanisms that are in place in order to ensure that there
is timely and effective knowledge exchange, to avoid duplication of work, and
to minimise the risk that any patient safety concerns might be overlooked.
11.5 In next year’s performance review we will expect to see evidence of the outcomes
of the following ongoing work that the GDC is conducting in relation to guidance
and standards:
The proposed pilot study of the revised ‘Standards for Dental Professionals’
which is scheduled for 2012.
The development of a system to evaluate the level of registrant awareness of
and the impact of any new GDC standards and guidance.
Work that is currently under way to assess whether direct access to dental
care professionals should be allowed (currently patients can only access the
services of dental hygienists and dental therapists on referral from a dentist).
27