Date Set For Scotland's Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme - General Dental Council

Main Category: Dentistry
Article Date: 18 Jul 2010 - 1:00 PDT

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The General Dental Council is advising dental professionals working in Scotland to keep up to date on measures aimed at protecting vulnerable patients.

The Scottish Government has announced that its Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme (PVG Scheme) will begin on 30 November 2010.

The PVG Scheme will:

- help to ensure that those who have regular contact with children and protected adults through paid and unpaid work do not have a known history of harmful behaviour;

- be quick and easy to use, reducing the need for PVG Scheme members to complete a detailed application form every time a disclosure check is required;

- strike a balance between proportionate protection and robust regulation and make it easier for employers to determine who they should check to protect their client group.

The PVG Scheme is Scotland's response to the principal recommendation of the Bichard Inquiry Report which was undertaken following the Soham murders in 2002. This recommendation called for a registration system for all those who work with children and vulnerable adults in the UK.

Within the meaning of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) (Scotland) Act 2007 the delivery of dental care is a 'regulated activity' and therefore all dental professionals will need to register.

The Scottish Government says it's built upon what it's learned from current disclosure and disqualification services in Scotland to develop an efficient membership scheme that will strengthen protection for vulnerable groups and reduce bureaucracy.

It will be phased in over a four year period and more information can be found here.

All dental professionals in the UK must be registered with the GDC and follow our 'Standards for dental professionals' which is available on our website. This document lays out six key principles that dental professionals should apply to their daily work. Principle 5 tells registrants to 'maintain your professional knowledge and competence. It goes on to say in principle 5.4 that registrants must 'find out about laws and regulations which affect your work, premises, equipment and business and follow them.'

The GDC will have a legal obligation to share information about GDC registrants with the PVG Scheme. It is waiting to be advised as to exactly what information it will have to share, but it is likely to be anything which could indicate that a registrant poses a risk to children or vulnerable adults. The GDC may also receive information about its registrants from the Scheme. It has already been decided by Council that such information should not result in automatic erasure from the Register, but should be considered as an allegation of impaired fitness to practise through the usual channels.

The GDC is looking carefully at how the PVG will affect registrants and what role the Council will play. It is liaising with other regulators and working out how best to share relevant information alongside existing guidance on protecting patients.

Notes

- The Independent Safeguarding Authority's Vetting and Barring Scheme for England, Wales and Northern Ireland has been put under review by the Government.

Source:
General Dental Council

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