Fitness to Practice Tag

Telling tales or doing the right thing? When should you report a colleague to the GDC?

Fitness to practice proceedings are extremely stressful for any medical professional. Perhaps this is best evidenced by the report prepared by the GMC in 2014. It found that between 2005 and 2013,  114 doctors died during fitness to practice proceedings, of these, 28 died of suicide or suspected suicide. The GDC do not record similar statistics. This is a conscious decision on their part. In...Read More

Fitness to Practice; who’s on the GDC’s naughty and nice lists?

  DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 60   The numbers The GDC’s own statistical analysis shows us: Source: GDC 2017 – Men are more likely than women to be involved in FTP cases. – Dentists who have taken the ORE are less likely than those qualified in the UK to find themselves involved in FTP proceedings. – However, those from the EEA were more likely to come before the GDC. Of 182...Read More

No one is above the Law; who can sue the GDC?

DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 59 Dr Michalak was employed by the Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals until she was dismissed in July 2008. She complained that she had been discriminated against in the course of her employment. Pending the result of the action she brought against her employer, disciplinary proceedings were brought against Dr Michalak in relation to the care of patients and her behaviour towards...Read More

Ghosh; is there a new test for dishonesty in town?

DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 57 In the case of Ivey v Genting Casinos (UK) LTD t/a Crockfords the Supreme Court effectively re-wrote the test for dishonesty. It removed the second, subjective limb of the current test. This has a significant impact, as it has resulted in one single standard dishonesty test across civil, criminal and regulatory cases. This decision will have huge implications for...Read More

Assessing Fitness to Practice; what test must the GDC satisfy?

  DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 44   Just the mere mention of Fitness to Practice can strike fear into the heart of a dentist. Patients have become increasingly litigious and more likely to complain, even in the absence of good cause. Unfortunately there are rarely any consequences for patients who make spurious complaints which are not upheld; however, the same cannot be said for the professional....Read More

Police Investigation; the dos and don’ts if you want to stay a dentist

  DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 42   If someone makes a criminal allegation against you, whether true or false, you will be subject to a police investigation. This will no doubt be a daunting experience for you. In this article we guide you through the process and give you some important advice to help you protect your registration as a dentist.   Police Investigation: at the police station It is a...Read More

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

CASE LAW – How Dentists Can Avoid Legal Problems

  DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 22   Fitness to Practice Hearing  – Failure to Obtain Proper Consent Dr Darfoor, a dentist, appeared before the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) on 18th January 2016. The allegations against him concerned the treatment of three patients during the period 2011 to 2014. The charges against Dr Darfoor ran over three pages of the judgment and included allegations...Read More

Challenging a Decision from the Practice Committees

  DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 2   I recently wrote about the Professional Conduct Committee’s assessment of the GDC’s conduct during the Fitness to Practice investigation of Dr Singh. Because of the appalling conduct of the GDC in that case, the hearing was abandoned, however it will subsequently be re-listed for a full hearing. The purpose of the legal application made was to stop the...Read More

PCC slams GDC’s conduct of FtP Proceedings

DENTAL BULLETIN, ISSUE 1 In recent times there has been criticism by dentists of the GDC’s approach in Fitness to Practice proceedings, in particular the culture of “naming and shaming” those who are unfortunate enough to come to their attention.  So it may not surprise many dentists to hear that the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) have made some damning criticisms of those who...Read More