Data Protection Act to cost practices £2,000 a year
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 27th February 2018
As reported in Dentistry.co.uk, costs of the ‘botched’ Data Protection Act have caused opticians, dentists and pharmacies to come together and write a joint letter to the Government.
The British Dental Association (BDA), the Optical Confederation and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiation Committee, have said the Data Protection Bill will add significant extra costs to small providers.
The letter calls on Margot James, Minister for Digital and Culture, to drop plans requiring NHS providers to appoint a data protection officer, which would be beyond requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Mick Armstrong, BDA chair, told Dentistry.co.uk: ‘Failure to get these regulations right will further undermine the sustainability of high street health providers.
Single-handed family practitioners serve millions of patients, and are already under huge financial pressure.
‘Treating them like large corporates and slapping on another £2,000 bill serves no one, and goes well beyond the intentions of the GDPR.
“We urge Ministers to urgently rethink their plans.
“Neither the NHS nor our patients should have to pay the price for badly drafted legislation.”
The BDA estimates that the Bill could end up costing dental practices an extra £2,000-£3,000 every year.
