What's in an Acronym? CR in the current climate is not that jaw relationship that is so critical to dental function.
Politically it is destined to be Contract Reform.
But maybe it should be Contract Rejection ...
The sands of dentistry and its politics often shift with the tides of time and events.
I am sure many of you share my frustration, often palpable profession wide, that the BDA often seem to be in the stuck in the wet sticky variety, making little inroad to the wider landscape of NHS Dentistry.
Well, all of that has changed. Suddenly dentistry and the BDA is running on the beach and it is the DH and NHS England [and inter alia the other NHS authorities] that are dragging through the sludge.
First we have the election of Dr Mick Armstrong to the Chair of the BDA’s flagship Professional Executive Committee. At a time when we need people who will call a spade a spade, this man carries a Northern reputation for using the thing to whack his message in if necessary. [1] Luvverly Jubbly.
VT Pay Cut now
Then the DH published its “Dental Contract Uplift and Efficiencies 2014/15" information [1] [2]. It would be fair to say that to lead with the word “Uplift” is backspin indeed worthy of any Minister.
And two items hit dentists between the TMJs.
Firstly, just when it cannot get any worse for some of our younger colleagues, their starting salary has just been chopped by some £2000pa.
Secondly 4% cuts efficiency savings are being projected onto NHS Dentistry.. The invisible ink suggests that there will be more to come in the next parliament. The DH have not finished yet.
GDP Pay cut next?
Now if we assume that your practice profit margin in your practice is say 30%, and if we assume that in the real world , your employment costs and overheads are inexorably on the rise [and DON’T look at your materials bill !!] we must conclude that the 4% will come off YOUR take. So if your profit margin reduces to 26% that equates to you, the business owner, risk taking dentist being offered a 13.3% pay cut to run with the Contract Reform package.
Nice.
Now add to the toxic brew that is stirring the news from Lloyds Bank and their specialist market research that dentistry is now amongst the most confident in the development of Private Practice [4] [5] [6] … Really? Well, quelle surprise !
Contract Rejection?
CR are the letters that will absorb much of your thinking processes in the next year. Contract Reform is being piloted near you and the new methods of working are in themselves more than a cause to focus the mind.
Now ask yourself: Do you really want all that hassle for a pay cut?
Now ask yourself if these projected circumstances are likely to make you a happy bunny, offering your patients the best of modern dental care appropriate to your circumstances?
Maybe the acronym “CR” actually will come to mean Contract Rejection. It sounds like one of the professions leading banking units thinks you are not alone and that you do have the confidence and ability to make it happen.
SS BDA – off the rocks?
As the BDA begin their conference with a superb weekend of dental derring-do, I suspect like many I can think of no better leader than Dr Armstrong to conjure the words that will tell the Government where to take to their Contract Reform and indeed where to stick it if their attitude remains so brutally cavalier.
Its not just meteorological Spring sunshine you can feel. The profession suddenly is starting to shine.
Have a joyful Easter and if the Conference is your scene, may all your conferring be about the positive future. May your personal CR be unaffected by all this fuss about ... CR