What is a Development Adviser?
The Development Adviser (GDC definition)
Development advisers are named individuals who are approved by the GDC to support dental professionals who need to develop their skills and competencies as a result of a fitness to practise investigation.
Development advisers are responsible for guiding and supporting dental professionals in the areas of development or learning identified in the determination of a practice committee, or those detailed in a case examiner decision sheet. They also support to dental professionals in developing and keeping up to date a Personal Professional Development Plan (PPDP).
The role undertaken by development advisers can further enhance the skills and knowledge of those who take up the role in support of other dental professionals.
The development adviser must be:
· Registered with the GDC i.e. a trained dental professional.
· Have an interest in education and development.
· Be compliant with CPD requirements.
· Have evidence of, or will have completed prior to taking up the role, in the following:
Postgraduate qualification in medical education, coaching, mentoring or leadership.
Development of Personal Development Plans and mapping CPD.
Knowledge of development tools to increase insight and self-awareness.
Knowledge of relevant workplace-based assessments, e.g., audit, case-based discussion.
Knowledge of current standards and guidelines in dentistry.
Knowledge of the GDC fitness to practise process.
Report writing skills.
Equality, diversity and inclusion policies.
Effective communications skills.
Motivating and developing others.
Good interpersonal skills.
Approval of the Development Adviser in GDC cases
Dental professionals who are subject to conditions or agreed undertakings will be required to identify and nominate a development adviser. Persons agreeing to undertake this role will charge a fee for the service to be paid by the dental professional. Anyone nominated for this role by a dental professional must be approved by the GDC.
The GDC caseworker dealing with the management of the case in the Case Review Team (CRT) will request a full CV of the person nominated to be the development adviser from the dental professional, which needs to include:
GDC registration number.
Job title and summary of their job role.
Employment history.
information demonstrating that the nominated development adviser meets the person specification .
Confirmation that there are no known conflicts of interest. NB: a conflict of interest may include a personal relationship involving a family relative and/or a financial relationship such as an expense sharing arrangement.
The CRT will also send any nominated person a ‘Development adviser agreement form, which they must complete and return before any final approval can be given.
The GDC will consider the following factors when deciding whether to approve a nomination of a development adviser:
Has the nominee been qualified for an adequate period - some guidance has been given
·Do they have appropriate experience?
Do they have any:
current fitness to practise cases
any previous fitness to practise matters, where a warning has been issued
any fitness to practise matter referred to the Interim Order Committee and/or a practice committee, or
are they subject to undertakings?
Are they suitably qualified and trained to support, guide and monitor the dental professional in meeting the areas of concern identified in conditions or agreed undertakings, and familiar with the scope of practice?