Communication and Support in Fitness to Practise at the General Dental Council

We commissioned research, led by the University of Manchester, to understand participants’ experiences of fitness to practise. The research involved registrants, informants and General Dental Council (GDC) staff and was undertaken to identify where comms and support could be improved for those involved in fitness to practise.

Some key findings from the research are:

• The research found evidence that the GDC was moving towards a more supportive, learning-oriented culture but this was being done too slowly and needed to happen more quickly.
• Participants in fitness to practise highlighted there were unclear expectations, infrequent updates and impersonal language which caused them anxiety and mistrust.
• Fitness to practise processes were also seen as punitive which caused defensiveness and disengagement rather than early resolution or remediation.
• Participants were also “lost in the process” due to confusing formats, a lack of procedural transparency and inaccessible digital tools.
• Participants perceived that some less-well-served groups such as international registrants, neurodivergent individuals, and lower-paid professionals often experienced inequitable treatment

We are committed to improving how we do things on fitness to practise but also how quickly we can resolve cases without compromising patient safety. Over the past few years, we have made some key changes. Whilst these changes have improved the fitness to practise process, we know there is more we can do.

Based on this research, we are improving the information we provide to ensure we are communicating in a clear way so participants understand the process and providing realistic timelines on how long it will take. We are also improving the practical support we provide for participants and looking at opportunities for earlier interventions on remediation and learning, so reducing some of the negative impacts of the process.

For the full findings of the report please download it below.