The General Dental Council (GDC) this week released updated guidance for dental professionals under investigation for fitness to practise concerns who seek to voluntarily remove themselves from the register.
In a release, the regulator said that applications for voluntary removal are likely to be granted where allegations are at the lower level of seriousness, and the dental professional involved confirms that they want to leave the register permanently.
However, in instances of serious public protection concerns, it says, investigations are generally concluded before voluntary removal is granted, unless exceptional circumstances apply.
Dental professionals can apply for restoration to the register 12 months after an application for voluntary removal has been granted. Any outstanding fitness to practise concerns will be assessed as part of any future restoration process.
The GDC added: ‘The guide aims to ensure that patient safety, public confidence and professional standards are maintained, improve transparency and consistency in the approach to applications for voluntary removal, and ensure proportionality in decision-making.’
‘Serious concerns’
‘We recognise that our investigations can take a long time. These can have significant negative impacts on the health and wellbeing of participants,’ said Stefan Czerniawski, executive director of strategy at the GDC.
‘We want to reduce these where we can and have added emphasis to this key consideration in the updated guidance.
‘We investigate serious concerns about the health, behaviour or clinical practice of dental professionals as a key part of our public protection role and we are working to reduce the impact of our investigations on the health and wellbeing of individuals.’
The guidance can be read in full here.
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