CQC slashes dentists’ registration fees

The CQC fees announcement that it is to cut the original fees for practices marks a major climb-down.

That’s according to the British Dental Association (BDA).

Providers with up to three practices will pay significantly lower fees than were proposed in CQC’s consultation, with the cost for those with a single location reduced from £1,500 to £800 and the cost for those with two or three locations reduced from £3,000 to £1,600.

Dr Susie Sanderson, chair of the BDA’s executive board, said: ‘We are pleased to see this climb-down on fee levels. Dentists across England have made their concerns on this issue clear. Many have taken part in the BDA’s red-tape campaign, articulating anxieties about the destructive effect costly, superfluous bureaucracy has on their working lives.

‘These concerns appear, partially at least, to have been taken on board. “lthough the fees for many dentists have been reduced, it is important to remember that practices additionally incur significant hidden costs in demonstrating their ongoing compliance with CQC’s standards. Scarce time and money are being diverted away from patient care to satisfy the burden being imposed by this unnecessary extra bureaucracy.’

The BDA remains unconvinced of the necessity of CQC’s role in dentistry and is disappointed about the delay in making this announcement.

Dr John Milne, chair of the BDA’s general dental practice committee, said: ‘The late announcement of these fees, just days before the deadline for registration, is frustrating for general dental practitioners in England.

‘Sadly, it is typical of the shambolic nature of the process that dentists have been, and are still being, subjected to. CQC’s challenge now is to demonstrate that it is making a difference for patients in return for the fees paid by dentists and the taxes the public are being asked to contribute to it. Only by doing so can it hope to justify the inclusion of dentistry in its remit.’

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