Back in the summer NYLDC and other Ldc’s around the country engaged the services of a lobbying group in response to the GDC’s rentention fee hike (amongst other misgivings of the GDC)
Below is a breakdown of what the lobbying group PMLR have done so far and what they intend yo do now that a health select committe has been called to discuss their accountability.
October 2014
· Developing campaign plan to:
o Secure a lower increase in ARF
o Increasing local resolution of complaints
o Change the leadership of the GDC
o Secure a return to a system of election for the Chair of the GDC
o Secure a fairer NHS dental contract
· Holding regular conference calls with committee members to monitor campaign progress and update all members on developments
· Anonymously sharing information about the flaws of the GDC’s processes with the sectoral press
· Drafting a national press release about 25 LDCs calling a special conference to hold a vote of no confidence in the GDC
· Selling in national press release as an exclusive to James Gallagher, BBC Health Correspondent
· Producing a detailed media list of all national press health correspondents, and all journalists who have written recently on dental issues
· Selling in press release to all national press health correspondents, the BBC and the Press Association
· Liaising with journalist contacts to get feedback on the story and ways to increase its interest to the general public, and therefore the press, in the face of focus mainly on Ebola
· Redrafting a national press release alongside colleagues from LDCs to focus more on the failings of the GDC and impact of an ARF hike on the provision of NHS dental services
· Tailoring the national press release to 65 regions across the UK to generate local press interest where LDCs have supported the move against the GDC
· Coordinating press interest from local and regional newspapers and radio stations, including liaising with Chris Groombridge to acquire contact details of local spokespeople for the rebellion, usually LDC chairs
· Producing a mini coverage update regarding the media sell in
· Producing a statement in Jason Wong’s name following the GDC announcement of its ARF hike to £890
· Selling in a statement in Jason Wong’s name to the sectoral press following the GDC announcement of its ARF hike to £890
· Inviting Alyn Morgan to Liberal Democrat gala dinner where he had an opportunity to meet Lord Paddy Ashdown, Energy Secretary Ed Davey MP and Social Care Minister Norman Lamb MP
November 2014
· Monitoring the press on a daily basis for relevant news stories on dentistry, the GDC and the fee hike, including looking out for opportunities to comment
· Liaising with journalists regarding media enquiries from Lancashire following press releases sent out last month:
o Press in Lancashire
o Derby Telegraph
· Producing a detailed report of the coverage secured on behalf of the LDCs regarding the GDC fee hike
· Drafting a template letter to be sent by all LDC Chairs and supportive dentists to their local MPs regarding the dispute with the GDC and the special conference
· Producing detailed grid of names and contact details of every constituency MP in the areas where LDCs have supported the call for a special conference
· Liaising with LDC chairs regarding press coverage of Nottingham dentist attacked in the media for poor practices, and providing advice on potential actions to be taken. Conclusion that it would be inadvisable to attack the CQC as well as the GDC at this juncture
· Liaising with LDC chairs on Department of Health retaliatory attacks against Jason Wong for speaking out against GDC
· Contacting the BDA to implement joint social media strategy in lead up to special conference
· Producing a detailed strategy ahead of special conference to:
o Inform relevant MPs, Civil servants and Ministers
o Follow up on existing media interest and generate print and broadcast coverage
o Produce a photo opportunity involving dentists from supportive LDCs
o Produce speeches / wording to be delivered at the special conference
o Produce a campaign video of the event including vox-pops to promote dentists’ views on the GDC
December 2014
· Monitoring the press on a daily basis for relevant news stories on dentistry, the GDC and the fee hike, including looking out for opportunities to comment
· Producing a detailed report of the coverage secured on behalf of the LDCs regarding the GDC fee hike
· Drafting a template political letter for all LDC chairs to send to relevant constituency MPs
· Producing a detailed list of contact details for all MPs whose constituencies are covered by the 28 LDCs that voted to hold the special conference
· Liaising with journalists regarding media enquiries following press releases sent out last month:
o Press in Barnsley
o Press in Derbyshire
· Supporting dentists and LDC officers ahead of interviews with local press:
o Richard Allott, South Yorkshire
· Supporting social media engagement for LDCs including:
o Researching and contacting affiliated organisations that have an existing social media presence
o Creating tweetable infographics about dentistry and conflict with GDC
o Drafting example tweets about dentistry and conflict with GDC
· Drafting email regarding special conference and conflict with GDC to all members of APPG on dentistry
· Drafting email regarding special conference and conflict with GDC to Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt and Undersecretary of State Earl Howe
· Drafting and sending out email to all relevant MPs encouraging them to attend adjournment debate called by Sir Paul Beresford MP
· Recording the adjournment debate and providing a copy of the video to Ian Gordon, Alyn Moran, Chris Groombridge and Jason Wong
· Making follow up calls to all relevant MPs encouraging them to attend adjournment debate called by Sir Paul Beresford MP
· Drafting parliamentary questions to be tabled by supportive constituency MPs, including:
o Nic Dakin MP
o Graham Stuart MP
· Drafting a letter from Nic Dakin MP to Undersecretary of State Earl Howe
· Editing and providing advice on speech to be delivered at Special Conference
· Drafting and selling in a national press release ahead of Special Conference
· Drafting and selling in a national press release following the successful passage of vote of no confidence
· Drafting and selling in a regionalised press release following the successful passage of vote of no confidence
· Making follow up chase calls to specific journalists, including at the BBC, Sky and The Press Association
· Preparing a photo opportunity at the Special Conference, including producing banners and providing a photographer
· Drafting one page key issues briefing for LDCs to be shared with relevant MPs and stakeholders
· Drafting and sending out follow up emails to MPs who attended adjournment debate on performance GDC
· Drafting a complete report of the work undertaken by PLMR for LDCs, in Word and PowerPoint
· Drafting a press release and a quote in Ian Gordon’s name regarding BDA judicial review
· Selling in quote to sector (trade) publications and securing coverage in The Dentist
· Putting together key points email for Mark ahead of meeting with Robert Goodwill MP
January 2015
· Providing Chris Groombridge and Ross Paton with briefings on Nicholas Dakin MP, Andrew Percy MP, Martin Vickers MP and Austin Mitchell MP ahead of their meeting.
What they are going to do –
We would thoroughly recommend engaging with the Select Committee as much as possible. Select Committees are fast becoming the show-trials / kangaroo courts of Westminster with backbench MPs relishing their roles as inquisitors. This is the natural progression of the work you and the LDCs have been doing so far. We are confident that the noise you’ve created around this issue will have contributed to this session being held in the Commons.
Our recommendations would be to:
- · Draft a robust and damning submission to the Health Select Committee outlining the position of LDCs and frontline dental workers
- · Include in this submission the outcomes you and BDA desire (local resolution, new chair & CEO, etc) and a summary of the local press cuttings secured
- · Produce an analysis of the members of the committee, their politics, electoral chances, issues with dentistry in their constituencies, and their likely position on the GDC (inc briefings if requested)
- · Speak directly to the committee clerks to identify if there is an opportunity for the representatives of the campaign to address the committee directly in person
- · Contact health and select committee members prior to the hearing to press the GDC on certain issues of particular concern – issues they would not otherwise know about without experience in dentistry
- · Brief and engage existing supportive MPs in the process
- · Highlighting the sessions in advance to the national, sectoral and local press, especially those who have covered the story before
- · Sending clips of the sessions around to selected journalists and MPs following the sessions, if, as is likely, they are damaging to the GDC