Health Select Dentistry Report ‘Spoiler Alert’: “It Will Be Uncomfortable Reading For Some”
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- Published: Wednesday, 12 July 2023 08:56
- Written by Guy Tuggle
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The dental profession is about to learn the findings of the Parliamentary Health & Social Care Committee’s investigation into NHS dentistry and specifically, access.
GDPUK understands the report will be published this Friday.
During Health and Social Care questions in the Commons this week, Stephen Brine, Conservative Chair of the Committee told the Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, “later this week the select committee will publish its report into NHS dentistry services and, spoiler alert, it will be uncomfortable reading for some”.
He asked “Could the Secretary of State tell us when and how he plans to bring forward plans for the tie-in of newly qualified dentists, and could that go hand in hand with a ‘return to the NHS campaign’ for NHS dentists who’ve already left that part of the service?”
As widely reported, newly qualified dentists might be required to undertake up to five years of NHS work after qualification by means of a mandatory ‘tie-in’, possibly with some of their student debt cancelled.
Mr Barclay replied “It’s characteristically astute for him to zero in on an important part of the long-term workforce plan in terms of the tie-in, that is because around two-thirds of dentists don’t go after training into NHS work.”
The ‘two thirds’ figure, quoted by Rishi Sunak and repeated by Steve Barclay is incorrect and the BDA is seeking a retraction.
And in words which could be interpreted as confirmation that the government does intend to pursue the tie-in idea, Mr Barclay, referencing the NHS dental service added “So we do think having a tie-in is more pertinent there than it might be elsewhere within the NHS workforce.”
Jason McCartney (CON Colne Valley) asked: “Many of my Colne Valley constituents are still struggling to get NHS dental appointments. So I just want to know, what is happening right now, this week, this month, to increase the availability of NHS dental appointments for my constituents?”
On Friday Mr McCartney, his beleaguered constituents and the dental profession will know more.
Coincidentally, Friday 14th July just happens to be ‘Bastille Day” in France. A public holiday, it celebrates the storming of the Bastille in 1789 when the military fortress and prison was attacked and invaded during a violent uprising that helped usher in the French Revolution…
Is NHS dentistry, and its loathed contract, about to face its own ‘Bastille Day’? GDPUK is ready and waiting to bring you the key takeaways from the long awaited report.
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What is the correct figure for the percentage of dentists who do not go on to treat NHS patients after vocational training?You need to be logged in to leave comments.
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