BSDHT has its say over ARF
On the day the GDC votes to determine the level of Annual Retention Fee, the president of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT) has urged the regulator to reconsider.
Julie Rosse said: “The British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy calls on the GDC to reconsider the proposed Annual Retention Fee for the good of the profession.
“Although the proposed increase in the ARF is not significant for dental hygienists and therapists, it will have a knock on effect for us in many different ways. We fully support our dentist colleagues as our profession as a whole should not have to pay for the GDC’s inadequacies in the FTP process.
“If dentists fill the gap now what will happen the next time? We feel that this increase for dentists and the dental nurses they employ might encourage them to cut our pay in order to be able to pay their Annual Retention Fees.
“The proposed rise in fees has rightly been met with widespread anger by the majority of those working in practice who feel this is completely unjustifiable. We rely on, and hold dearly the views of our members who have spoken out about this issue and we are in full support in opposing to the indefensible AFR increase.
“I wish to take this opportunity to clarify the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy believes the problem is that there is very little faith in the GDC as a regulatory body who have demonstrated so many inadequacies, especially in the way they currently pursue fitness to practice complaints.
“Although levels of oral health in the UK are generally improving, access to a dentist remains a key barrier for many people. Direct Access was introduced to increase access, yet the proposed hike in fees will only serve to lessen this access. By increasing this fee so steeply – it is four times the rate of inflation for the lowest proposed increase – we risk halting and reversing these improvements.”
In July 2014, the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy gave full support and agreed to co-sign the joint letter produced by varying dental bodies objecting to the ARF rise.
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