​The GDC has launched a consultation on a proposed new policy that defines a different approach to setting fees.

The regulator is consulting on proposals that aim to better explain how and why funds are used, to be clearer about how costs are allocated and to provide more certainty about the level of fee registrants can expect to pay.

This is a consultation about the mechanisms for setting fee levels rather than the about the fee levels themselves.

In 2017, the GDC launched Shifting the balance that set out its views on reforming dental regulation.

In that, the regulator said it would work towards a new way of setting fees which would reflect a new approach to regulation and this consultation is a step towards fulfilling that commitment.

The proposed new policy is based around three main principles:

  • Fee levels should be determined primarily by the cost of regulating each registrant group
  • The method of calculating fee levels should be clear
  • Decisions on the allocation of costs should not lead to undesirable outcomes (e.g. in the form of unacceptably high or variable costs for some groups of registrants).

The GDC's Matthew Hill said: 'We’ve been listening to our stakeholders and have worked hard to develop a set of proposals which we think provides a greater level of transparency about how we use the funds raised through fees and seeks to involve registrants and others in the conversation in a far more meaningful way.

'We really want to hear the views of all our stakeholders, so I hope everyone will read the consultation and respond before the closing date.'

The consultation is available now at gdc-uk.org/about/what-we-do/consultations and is open until 15 May 2018.

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