Who we work with
The GDC engages with a variety of other organisations, regulators and bodies representing patient care and healthcare professionals.
Sharing information
We have a number of formal agreements in place with various organisations describing how we work together effectively and efficiently to protect, promote, and maintain the health and safety of patients and the public.
We are not limited to sharing information only where such a formal agreement exists. For example, the GDC can share any information relating to a person’s fitness to practise as a dentist or dental care professional, through the powers in the Dentists Act 1984, where it is considered to be in the public interest for the information to be disclosed.
Current agreements
Care Quality Commission
Dentists' Health Support Trust (DHST)
The DHST provide free advice and support to dental professionals on alcohol, drugs, eating disorders and other health issues through the Dentists' Health Support Programme (DHSP).
Our agreement has been in place since 2018 and can be downloaded here.
Disclosure and Barring Service
Gibraltar Health Authority Board
Health Inspectorate Wales
Our agreement has been in place since February 2015 and can be downloaded here.
Healthcare Improvement Scotland
HSIB is a new organisation that became operational on 1 April 2017. Their purpose is to improve patient safety through effective and independent investigations that do not apportion blame or liability. They do this by determining the causes of health safety incidents, encouraging safety action and making safety recommendations to prevent it happening again. Although funded by the Department of Health, they operate independently.
Our agreement has been in place since April 2017 and can be downloaded here.
Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB)
HSIB is a new organisation that became operational on 1 April 2017. Their purpose is to improve patient safety through effective and independent investigations that do not apportion blame or liability. They do this by determining the causes of health safety incidents, encouraging safety action and making safety recommendations to prevent it happening again. Although funded by the Department of Health, they operate independently.
This agreement has been in place since 1 April 2017 and can be downloaded here.
NHS Counter Fraud Authority
NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) is a special health authority tasked to lead the fight against fraud, bribery and corruption in the NHS.
Our agreement has been in place since March 2021 and can be downloaded here.
NHS England
NHS Practitioner Health Programme
NHS Protect
NHS Protect leads on a wide range of work to protect NHS staff and resources from crime. It has national responsibility for tackling:
fraud
violence
bribery
corruption
criminal damage
theft
other unlawful action such as market-fixing.
Our agreement has been in place since March 2015 and can be downloaded here.
National Police Chiefs’ Council
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) look into complaints where an individual believes there has been injustice or hardship because an organisation has not acted properly or fairly or has given a poor service and not put things right.
Public Service Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW)
The PSOW has legal powers to look into complaints about public services and independent care providers in Wales. They also investigate complaints that elected members of local government bodies have broken their authority's code of conduct. The Ombudsman is independent of all government bodies.
The English version of the agreement can be downloaded here.