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Legal News

General Dental Council Battles against a Backlog of Complaints (17 January 2012)

Date: 17/01/2012
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, General Dental Council Battles against a Backlog of Complaints

The body responsible for investigating complaints against dentists is reportedly suffering from a major backlog of complaints. In 2010, the General Dental Council (GDC) failed to deal with 72 of the 224 serious complaints received, with complainants waiting over nine months for a response. Since the 2010 backlog, the GDC has hired a new chief executive officer and has increased the number of staff it employs and the number of investigatory hearings it carries out. The GDC holds responsibility for monitoring dental professionals. However, the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE), which regulates the GDC, requested in September 2011 that the Government report on the way in which it is being operated. Its findings are expected to be released later this month.

The GDC received 1,400 complaints in 2010. In the most serious of cases, an investigating panel decides whether the complaint should be heard by a senior committee. This senior committee is able to strike off a dentist. Cases that have not been passed between the investigating panel and the senior committee within a period of nine months are considered to be backlogged. The sum of backlogged cases has been reduced from 72 to 51 since the hiring of Evlynne Gilvarry, the new chief executive officer, in October 2010. Ms. Gilvarry stated that she joined the GDC to ensure that the theoretical risk to dental patients never became a reality.

Duncan Lewis’ personal injury solicitors can instigate legal proceedings against dentists who have provided negligent dental treatment.

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