DENTISTS registering to pay their annual retention fee with the General Dental Council are reminded they are now required to declare they have full indemnity in place – or will have by the time they start practising.
MDDUS would like to reassure members that this is not a new requirement as dentists have always needed appropriate indemnity in order to practise dentistry. The only difference now is that practitioners must complete an indemnity declaration as part of their annual renewal process.
The GDC does not require registrants to provide an indemnity certificate unless specifically requested for further information. However, practising without appropriate indemnity in place is contrary to guidance and can result in a fitness to practise investigation.
Practitioners who are covered by their employer should check they are indemnified prior to their declaration and not assume their employer will make arrangements for them.
MDDUS also advises practices to have a system in place to check that all staff subscriptions with bodies such as the GDC and defence organisations are renewed on time. These checks should also apply to temporary members of staff and responsibility for this should not be delegated to locum agencies.
MDDUS members receive a proof of indemnity certificate once the first direct debit is taken, usually around the renewal date. They can also request a PDF copy at any time by emailing our membership team on membership@mddus.com
The GDC registration window is open now until midnight on December 31, 2016.
The regulator is encouraging clinicians to logon to the eGDC portal to make their indemnity declaration, pay the annual retention fee (ARF), declare CPD hours and update personal information. Alternatively, renewal can be done via an automated telephone line (0800 197 4610) or by post using the business return envelope included in the notification letters, which should have been delivered to practices.
Find out more in the GDC indemnity FAQs
This page was correct at the time of publication. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.