The General Dental Council (GDC) has launched a consultation on the level of its annual retention fee (ARF) for 2016.
The GDC has suggested that the ARF levels stay the same but says it is also taking the opportunity to consult on:
- Setting out financial and other information the proposed ARF is based
- Seeking views on the level of the fees.
‘The GDC is committed to being a transparent regulator,’ Evlynne Gilvarry, chief executive and registrar, said.
‘This includes setting out clearly what the ARF funds and that is why we are launching this exceptional consultation today.
‘We want to be clear with the public, dental professionals and our other important stakeholders about how we have calculated the fees for dentists and dental care professionals, and how the income will be used to fund all our work to ensure patients continue to be protected and public confidence in the dental profession remains high.’
ARF consultation
The GDC says it wants to be transparent about how it uses its resources and fees.
The health regulator claims there has been a 121% increase in complaints about dental care since 2010, which led to the GDC improving its complaints investigation process, which the ARF will be used to fund.
The GDC has said that based on the levels of complaints It expects to receive, it proposes the ARF remains the same as in 2015, but has asked you to have your say by visiting www.gdc-uk.org/Newsandpublications/consultations/Pages/default.aspx.