How to fund a legal case without breaking the bank
DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 38 When deciding whether or not to pursue or defend a claim, determining how you will fund your case will be one of the biggest factors to take into account. Knowing what options are available will make you better informed and can help you with this difficult decision. Pay Privately You may choose to pay privately for the legal costs. However, this is often the...Read More
0
The case of the missing F mug and how to deal with misconduct issues
DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 37 It all began on 14th December 2016, when John Howey, Partner at JFH Law, announced he had broken a J mug washing up. ‘The handle just came off when I was washing out the inside’ he confirmed. At first we all laughed and there was some light hearted banter about Mr Howey not knowing his own strength; but things then took a turn for the worst....Read More
0
Autumn Statement 2016; how will it affect you and your Dental Practice?
DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 36 On 23rd November Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered his Autumn Statement 2016 in which he announced that this would be the last Autumn Statement, with a move next year to a Spring Statement and Autumn Budget. The idea is to provide more stability for businesses and individuals in respect of changes to taxation, so that they only occur once a year. This will obviously...Read More
0
GDC; still the worst regulator?
DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 35 The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) oversees the nine health and care professional regulatory organisations in the UK. Every year they undertake a review of their key statutory functions against the following four standards: Setting and promoting guidance and standards for the profession Setting standards for and quality assuring the provision of education and...Read More
0
Uber drivers found to be workers: What are the implications on the dental world?
DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 34 On 28th October 2016 the London Central Employment Tribunal sent out its long awaited judgment in the case of Aslam & ors v (1) Uber BV (2) Uber London Limited and (3) Uber Britannia Limited. The Tribunal held that Uber drivers should be considered workers, as opposed to self-employed contractors. Uber has already confirmed its intentions to...Read More
0
Why practice owners could be at risk of HMRC fines
DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 33 Correctly categorising staff members can avoid HMRC fines Do you employ associates and hygienists? Are they treated as self-employed or employees? Ensuring that you have correctly categorised your staff for tax purposes is extremely important. If you get this wrong you will be liable to pay PAYE contributions, interest due on payments and even HMRC fines,...Read More
0
Is your practice compliant with disability laws?
DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 32 Anyone who provides a service to the public has a duty to make reasonable adjustments. This encompasses dentists and dental practices. If you fail to comply with this duty the patient with the disability can issue a claim against you in the County Court for discrimination and seek to recover damages, which can include an award for injured feelings. As if this was not...Read More
0
The Data Protection Act and Dentistry
DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 31 Important Legal Update: on 25th of May 2018 the GDPR (General Data Protection Law) enters into force and it will apply to all organisations that collect or retain personal identifiable data from any European individual. Do I need to register with the ICO? The very nature of dentistry requires the practitioner to obtain the personal data of their patients; by...Read More
0
To be employed or self-employed, that is the question
DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 30 The question of employment status regularly crops up amongst the dental community. Most consider associates to be self-employed because that is the industry norm and how HMRC view associates. However, legally this is not always the case. It is a common misconception that because a contract states it is ‘self-employed’ that will be the end of the matter. However, from...Read More
0
Settlement Agreements: a useful tool to help you resolve work place disputes
DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 29 A large percentage of your time is spent at work and you naturally build up relationships with those around you. However, as with any relationship, there are ups and downs and sometimes breakdowns can become irreconcilable. With the cost of Tribunal litigation being high and very little chance of recovering such costs against a losing party, what are the...Read More
0