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

education providers are actively following the GDC’s student fitness to practise
guidance, and that a thorough approach is taken in each case. We understand
that a full review of the guidance is planned to take place following finalisation
of the new standards for dental professionals in early 2013. We look forward
to reviewing progress in next year’s performance review.
The GDC has revised its webpages on education and training in order to
ensure that its learning outcomes are transparent. We understand that a
comprehensive review of the website is planned in early 2013.
Maintaining its approach to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and
developing a scheme which it will use to assure itself of the continuing fitness to
practise of its registrants 11
The GDC has undertaken an audit of all dentists’ CPD portfolios for the years
2005-2009 and found 99% of the portfolios were compliant with the GDC’s
CPD standards.
The GDC has initiated a fundamental review of its CPD scheme, starting with
a literature review. The review will culminate with a full consultation on a
revised CPD scheme in 2012. The GDC’s aim is to ensure that its CPD
scheme effectively supports registrants in maintaining their fitness to practise,
and that the CPD scheme dovetails with any future continuing fitness to
practise scheme.
The GDC states that it is committed to developing a continuing fitness to
practise scheme for dentists which is workable, cost-effective, proportionate
and evidence-based. In order to achieve that aim, the GDC plans to undertake
a range of research in 2012, including an evaluation of risk in dentistry, and
research into the range of QA and performance management systems in
existence in dentistry. It will also undertake a costs-benefits analysis of any
proposed scheme in late 2012/early 2013. The outcomes of this work, the
CPD review, and the responses to its previous consultation in this area will be
taken into account before the GDC reaches a decision about the final model
for its continuing fitness to practise scheme.
11.7 In next year’s performance review we will wish to see evidence of the outcomes of
the GDC’s work in the following areas:
A review that is being undertaken of its specialist lists. The GDC has begun
work on this review by undertaking a benchmarking exercise, a patient and
public survey on the use of its registers, and a registrant survey about how
useful the GDC’s specialist lists are in terms of referrals to an appropriate
specialist.
The outcomes of the GDC’s fundamental review of its CPD scheme, as well
as the further development of its continuing fitness to practise scheme.
11 We have previously referred to schemes which aim to assure a registrant’s continuing fitness to
practise as revalidation schemes.
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