Regular visitors to the annual conference of local dental committees will know that in recent years there has been one member at least that is determined to scupper any potential unanimous vote. The electronic voting mechanism used is anonymous and secret. This spoiling vote has caused frustration when the strength of a unanimous vote was lost.
Conference chairs cajoled the meetings and exhorted delegates to vote with one voice, but still the spoiler persisted.
Things were different December 5, however. Local dental committee representatives gathered in large numbers for the LDC Officials’ Day. The event is usually hosted by the BDA and enables LDC chairs and secretaries to receive updates and presentations about topical subjects in dentistry. This year the BDA PEC chair Mick Armstrong addressed the meeting and GDPC chair John Milne gave an update of the work of GDPC. There were sessions about contract reform with the CDO Barry Cockcroft, sessions about dentists with enhanced skills and an update of how ‘Big Brother’, in the form of the BSA, watches over the NHS with the all seeing data about outliers in the UDA based contracts.
This year though, there was a little extra spice for Christmas. Over 20 LDCs had exercised their right to call for a special conference. That conference would debate one simple motion: “This conference believes that the GDC has failed in its role as regulator for dentistry and therefore moves that a new model of regulation is sought that will both protect patients and have the support of the dental profession.”
The motion was proposed by the doughty Ian Gordon from North Yorkshire. He eloquently outlined the frustration of the profession with the way the GDC has become bogged down with fitness to practise cases. The question was posed as to why so many complaints about dentists end up at the GDC, bypassing local resolution and causing huge stress for practitioners. Other speakers mentioned the climate of fear surrounding those engaged in clinical practice and affecting dentists at all stages of their careers. None were calling for the GDC to be abolished, but all were passionately calling for reform. Some optimistic souls were hoping that the profession might return to an elected GDC, one elected by the profession, but pigs don’t fly at Christmas, only reindeer.
Some of the LDCs who had called for a special conference had also put their hands in their pockets to fund a PR company to publicise the event. Banners were displayed, placards were held outside the conference centre showing the solidarity of LDCs throughout the land.
A group of LDCs have also been suggesting an alternative to contract reform, not just in frustration at the slow pace of reform, but hoping to add some suggestions to the debate. The GDPC invited them to present their ideas in
October, and I understand there was a lively debate with the GDPC agreeing to consider carefully the ideas as they
move forward with developing the prototypes. It would not be productive for LDCs and the GDPC to be working at cross purposes at this important time, and it was good to see GDPC broadly welcome the fact that these LDCs had
taken the time and trouble to present their thoughts. As BDA chair Mick Armstrong encouraged unity, saying: “Together we are stronger.”
But all eyes were on conference chair Jonathan Randall as he prepared for the vote. Would the spoiler dare to give the GDC the green card? A sea of red cards were raised, no votes against, no abstentions. The grass roots dentists spoke with one strong and united voice. But were those at the GDC in Wimpole Street listening? They need to.