Kay Whittle
Lay member
Please give any details about other work you do: (e.g. working in education, law etc.)
Since retiring earlier than expected from a chief officers post in a local authority, I undertook some independent consultancy work in social care. which has included working as a lay panellist for the General Medical Council Fitness to Practise Committees. I have just completed a 10 year term.with the GMC. Currently I serve as a director and deputy chair of the board of The Retreat Hospital York, a private Quaker psychiatric hospital. Over the years I have been actively involved with a variety of local charitable organisations too.
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a Fitness to Practise Panel member for you?
Variety of demands made upon one, never knowing what issues will come to the fore in any one case, each hearing is different, this keeps one on your toes! In addition to the stimulation of working with colleagues from completely different professional backgrounds, where together we consider challenging and demanding matters which can be of grave significance both to patients and practitioners and to the profession as a whole.
There is the opportunity to contribute my skills, past experience and aptitudes to a process where public safety and the maintenance of high standards of patient care are of paramount importance.
As a lay panellist my voice is as important as my fellow colleagues regardless of professional perspective.
"The working environment at the GDC is constructive, friendly and enabling"
How did you feel about applying for the role?
Keen and excited at the propsect of being able to extend my existing portfolio, as I was at the time already working for the GMC. This was a logical extension of that role.
What challenges did you face during the application process?
Demonstrating to the panel that I recognised that the General Dental Council and dental practise was different from medicine, yet I had transferable skills which could be of benefit to GDC as well as the GMC. I had a proven track record as an effective lay panellist.
In what way has being a Fitness to Practise Panel member enhanced your professional life?
This has given me opportunities to continue to use analytical and decision making skills honed over a career as a senior manager and to apply these from an independent perspective. It keeps me alert, alive and challenged! Not only have I made friends with fellow panellists but my visits to the dentist have taken on an additional perspective now!
What support have you had from the GDC or from colleagues during your work as a panel member?
The working enviroment at the General Dental Council is constructive, friendly and enabling. Queries are readily answered by colleagues or GDC staff who are approachable and helpful.
What would you say to someone to encourage them to apply?
If you want to contribute to the maintenance of standards of care in dentistry, and to re-inforce the focus on patient care, and you are able to be a team player, as well as being prepared to stand and be counted, then apply .... what is there to lose?
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Maja Thompson
DCP member
Please give any details about other work you do: (e.g. working in education, law etc.)
I run a dental distribution company supplying dentists and dental technicians nationally.
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a Fitness to Practise Panel member for you?
For me, it is seeing my profession from a different perspective. Assisting the upholding of the professional ethical standards is an inherent part of being a professional. As my dental technicians’ peer group became registered professionals it has been interesting following the changes which transpired in the profession.
I also enjoy the richness of talent within the GDC panel pool especially from the lay members.
How did you feel about applying for the role?
Initially, I was very apprehensive as I felt that I might not have the required skills. The application process was very straight forward and, as the DCPs had just become registered members of the GDC, we felt like we were paving the way for all our colleagues.
What challenges did you face during the application process?
None really. The process was well organized and I was informed at every stage on the progress of my application.
In what way has being a Fitness to Practise Panel member enhanced your professional life?
"The process was well organized and I was informed at every stage"
The experience has been a very positive one. I have gained a lot of knowledge about the legal frameworks, reasoning behind the ethical standards and the efforts that are employed in maintaining those and making them suitable for the profession as a whole. The variety of cases I have sat on and their backgrounds have broadened my horizons about the society as a whole.
Additionally, contact with a wide variety of dental and lay members has introduced me to a number of interesting people who I otherwise would not have had the opportunity to meet.
What support have you had from the GDC or from colleagues during your work as a panel member?
The GDC have been very supportive. I have had thorough group training when I first joined, with my cohort, followed by regular training sessions on a variety of subjects raised along the way. All of the panels’ members and broader GDC support staff are helpful, friendly and professional.
There has been some apprehension amongst dentists and dental technicians I meet through my regular job. This is usually due to them not really understaning the role of fitness to practice and my role with the GDC. After a brief explanation it has never adversely affected my position. If anything, it expanded their respect for me.
What would you say to someone to encourage them to apply?
This a very interesting role for which the best qualification is your broad life experience. You will have the opportunity to contribute to your profession in a positive way, be exposed to new and positively challenging experiences and meet interesting people.
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Sally Atkinson
Dentist member
Please give any details about other work you do
Owner/principal private general dental practice
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a Fitness to Practise Panel member for you?
Feel valued - my opinions are respected and listened to – my everyday experience as a practising dentist and as a 50 year old provides a set of viewpoints that my panel members respect. Sometimes I can actively assist with clarifying dental issues or treatments in a way that the legal teams sometimes struggle to explain. Being party to a hearing suits my forensic mind and engages a part of my brain that I don’t use much in every day work – it is interesting, challenging and fulfilling.
I feel that every case receives thorough examination and discussion of its facts such that a balanced and proportionate decision is reached – every hearing is conducted professionally and fairly.
How did you feel about applying for the role?
I had thought I would need to have much more academic background and status than just an ordinary GDP, so I wasn’t optimisitic I would be taken seriously.
What challenges did you face during the application process?
None. Felt the process was thorough – competency based questionnaire followed by interview. I was as nervous as anyone might be, particularly since dentist generally get very little interview experience of this nature. Just be honest.
"I have learned much from my panel peers, dental and otherwise"
In what way has being a Fitness to Practise Panel member enhanced your professional life?
I have learned much from my panel peers, dental and otherwise. They are a lovely bunch of people to work with and bring all sorts of life experiences to the table. I have also picked up many tips for improving my own practice, record keeping, etc. It can be difficult to juggle a busy appointment book with the GDC but I enjoy the GDC work so much, it is a juggle I am happy to deal with.
What support have you had from the GDC or from colleagues during your work as a panel member?
Regular training held with panel peers, organised by the GDC. Chairs, legal advisers and committee secretaries and ushers are all approachable and happy to assist. Generally, everyone works well together and a happy team.
What would you say to someone to encourage them to apply?
APPLY! You don’t know about your hidden strengths until you are asked to use them. If you want something relevant, but offers a different slant, to your day job, where your opinion as an individual is heard and valued, then apply.
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Nicola Smith
Lay member
Please give any details about other work you do
I am a consultant/partner in a training consultancy - Xperient , working with public and private sector clients in creating and delivering experiential training solutions. These focus on communication skills. I have worked with dental care professionals to develop training workshops looking at professionalism and what it means to be a professional.
I am also an actor/singer/musician and voice-over artist. I started out my professional life in the performing arts in 1987 and still do as much of that as I can now. Mostly this consists of playing the Bb and Bass clarinets in various small orchestras/bands at festivals, concerts and in the recording studio. I also work as a vocalist, mostly contemporary and jazz these days though I trained as a mezzo soprano in the first instance, and I do voice-over recordings from time to time.
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a Fitness to Practise Panel member for you?
The team work, definitely and developing together the strategic overview that is required to achieve our goal. This fascinates me, especially when combined with the challenge of balancing formality with humanity. I also enjoy the experience of working with such clever and wise people who are also modest.
How did you feel about applying for the role?
I was rather daunted at the time! I had been a member of another two panels for much smaller regulatory bodies but not in the health care professions. I remember the GDC application form was complex and demanded a great deal of commitment.
What challenges did you face during the application process?
I found it hard at first to think up sufficiently detailed ‘competency-based’ examples as real life doesn’t always seem to demand the use of so many competencies at once! Although once you start to really think about it, almost everything we do challenges us in a variety of ways. The best approach I found was to talk it through with colleagues who were able to help me remember useful examples. The actual interview was easier than the application form. With hindsight, I am amazed I got that far as I have since realised anew just how difficult these types of application forms are. If I was to do it again, I would get more help at the first stage by, for example, ringing up the recruitment agency (if they use one) to ask for any reassurance and insight into what is expected. It is very frustrating to go to all that trouble and then find out later that you missed out one critical thing you could have said.
"It has given me an insight into another profession"
In what way has being a Fitness to Practise Panel member enhanced your professional life?
It has given me an insight into another profession about which I would otherwise have known very little. I have met fellow panellists from a great variety of walks of life and I have learned a huge amount from them. I have become much more knowledgeable about the law and the principles that govern it and public life generally. These insights have inevitably enhanced the sophistication of my approach in my own professional life, as my frame of reference has been broadened and I can understand many more perspectives and professions than I used to.
What support have you had from the GDC or from colleagues during your work as a panel member?
A huge amount of support. My fellow panellists are friendly, generous-spirited individuals who share a common goal. If ever I have expressed doubt, ignorance or confusion, they have been more than willing to reassure, support or educate.
What would you say to someone to encourage them to apply?
I would say that this experience will broaden their mind and their skills and test them in ways that they may otherwise never be tested. The role we play is serious and significant. Combined with that, there is the camaraderie of the team working together and supporting each other in a professional, friendly way. You won’t be exposed or unsupported at any point. It is never boring – all conduct cases are about people and the choices they make, which is endlessly fascinating. Even after 9 years, I am still capable of being surprised by what unfolds and I am always learning something new.
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Margaret Saunderson
DCP member
Please give any details about other work you do
Lead DCP tutor for NHS Education for Scotland
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a Fitness to Practise Panel member for you?
Being involved in the whole process of FTP, and taking time with the other panel members to ensure that it is a fair process, this includes the ability to look at the evidence and be confident in the decision making stage, always bearing in mind the need for the respondent to be treated within the confines of GDC standards and the law.
How did you feel about applying for the role?
Initially applied just for the experience, did not have confidence in securing the post, but felt that I should at least try.
What challenges did you face during the application process?
The waiting between the stages was quite nerve wracking and not known the amount of stages that you would go through prior to the final stage.
"I am able to take this skill into my workplace"
In what way has being a Fitness to Practise Panel member enhanced your professional life?
Greatly, it has given me opportunity to work with a wide range of people from different backgrounds, has widened my skill base and given me an interest in the law from this perspective. I am also able to take this skill into my workplace and share with the profession within an educational capacity.
What support have you had from the GDC or from colleagues during your work as a panel member?
Great support in so many ways, both professionally and personally. There are members of both the panel and the GDC that have been role models in my development and given confidence in expanding my career. I see this role as an ongoing development, learning from the experience as well as my peers.
What would you say to someone to encourage them to apply?
That though this role is demanding it brings an opportunity to work with your regulatory body and individuals that can enhance your professional life. I have increased both my confidence and knowledge of the profession and the role of FTP in patient protection.
I would recommend anyone who has an interest in their profession and the standards to consider this role. It gives you the skill to look at the individual (professional) in a different context, and the experience to express your view on how the profession should perform.
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Martyn Green
Dentist member
Please give any details about other work you do
Regional VT adviser, associate dental postgraduate dean SW region with responsibility for foundation training; professional member of First Tier Tribunal Primary Health Lists
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a Fitness to Practise Panel Member for you?
Being able to participate in maintaining the standards of the dental profession, working alongside other dental professionals and lay members.
"Being a panellist has been interesting, professionally stimulating and career enhancing"
How did you feel about applying for the role?
Apprehensive about the process and whether I was a suitable candidate
What challenges did you face during the application process?
Ensuring that I responded to the brief
In what way has being a Fitness to Practise Panel member enhanced your professional life?
Using my knowledge & skills in a different arena; opened other professional doors
What support have you had from the GDC or from colleagues during your work as a panel member?
I have had great encouragement and help from many colleagues and the GDC FtP team during my time as a panel member and chair. Support from the team is vital and has made this exacting and at times challenging & stressful job a pleasure. The friends I have made have also been very supportive in my life outside the GDC FtPP.
What would you say to someone to encourage them to apply?
Being a FtP panellist has been interesting, professionally stimulating and career enhancing as well as giving enormous job satisfaction. It can be emotionally draining and occasionally depressing but nonethess rewarding. Go for it - you don’t know your potential until you try!
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Alison Williamson
DCP member
Please give any details about other work you do
I am a dental hygienist and work 2 days a week in clinical practice covering both private and NHS work . I also sit as a member of the Audit Registration Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales.
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a Fitness to Practise Panel member for you?
The whole experience has been rewarding. It was a great privilege to be chosen to sit on the Fitness to Practise Panel and is not a role one undertakes lightly as you are sitting in judgement on your fellow professionals. Every case you sit on is different in some way and from each case you learn something new. I have been fortunate to sit with many different panel members who each bring something different to the panel. I have also learnt much about the legal framework and regulations which cover hearings and how they have to be applied.
How did you feel about applying for the role?
Very unconfident! I was not sure I was the type of person they were looking for or if I was “qualified” enough to carry it out. However, 9 years later I am so pleased I did apply.
"The training was very informative and enjoyable"
What challenges did you face during the application process?
I found the original application form extremely daunting and nearly didn’t send it in. Some of the questions were difficult to answer but I used situations I had been in that I felt covered the areas that were being asked about.
The interview and case study were both okay but I felt quite nervous. Being interviewed by a panel was not something I had had much experience of but they were all very pleasant. I was unsure how I had done and didn’t feel it went that well. The training, following selection, was a huge learning curve but very informative and enjoyable.
In what way has being a Fitness to Practise Panel member enhanced your professional life?
I have learnt a great deal from my time on the panel. Many cases are like having your own continuing professional development in that clinical aspects can be discussed at great length increasing your own knowledge and understanding in these areas. It has also constantly reaffirmed the importance of issues that affect ones everyday clinical practice.
What support have you had from the GDC or from colleagues during your work as a panel member?
The training provided originally by the GDC and the ongoing training days has been excellent. The hearings team are also very happy to talk to you if you have any questions.
The legal advisers, along with the chair of the panel, are always there to advise and make sure, during the Hearing, that you understand the legal side. The panel members come from diverse backgrounds and I have been fortunate to have sat with many of them. In 9 years I have never sat on a panel that has not worked well together. Whatever category of panel member you are – lay, dentist or DCP, you are all equal on the panel and I have never seen any bias towards any particular member.
Other panel members are always happy to help and provide guidance, should it be required. The whole environment is very supportive and there is now the benefit of more experienced panel members being available to “buddy” new members.
What would you say to someone to encourage them to apply?
Just go for it. You will never know if you would be selected if you don’t apply. It has been the most rewarding, as well as challenging, experience and one I shall miss greatly next year when my 10 years of service come to an end.
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