News Article

PRESS STATEMENT

Date: Monday 11 February 2013

Independent report finds the General Dental Council’s (GDC’s) standards of governance reasonable.

In 2011 Department of Health asked CHRE to advise it whether concerns which had been raised by the former Chair of the GDC, Alison Lockyer, about the organisation’s governance indicated that the GDC may have been failing to fulfil its statutory functions. We were also asked to advise if there are concerns about the actions of individuals on the Council which ought to be drawn to the attention of the Appointments Commission (now the Privy Council).

Our report http://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/regulators/overseeing-regulators/special-reviews-and-investigations sets out in detail the allegations that were made, the evidence we received, either to support or refute those allegations or concerns and our considered view on each one.

Harry Cayton, Chief Executive said: ‘Our overall conclusion is that despite certain areas of concern identified as part of our investigation, we consider that the GDC was not at the relevant time and is not currently failing to fulfil its statutory functions, and that none of the actions of its individual Council members ought to be drawn to the attention of the Privy Council.’

ENDS

Rachael de Souza

External Relations Manager

Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care

Tel: 020 7389 8031

Email: rachael.desouza@professionalstandards.org.uk

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

• The General Dental Council’s (GDC’s) functions are set out in the Dentists Act 1984 (as amended). The purpose of the GDC is to protect the public by regulating dentists and dental healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom
• The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (previously known as the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence) oversees nine statutory bodies that regulate health and social care professionals in the UK. We assess their performance, conduct audits, scrutinise their decisions and report to Parliament. We also set standards for organisations holding voluntary registers for health and social care occupations and accredit those that meet them
• We share good practice and knowledge, conduct research and introduce new ideas to our sector. We monitor policy developments in the UK and internationally and provide advice on issues relating to professional standards in health and social care
• We do this to promote the health, safety and well-being of users of health and social care services and the public. We are an independent body, accountable to the UK Parliament
• Our values are at the heart of who we are and what we do. We are committed to being impartial, fair, accessible and consistent in the application of our values. More information about our work and the approach we take is available at www.professionalstandards.org.uk.