Dental Protection Publishes 'Shopping List' For The Government
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- Published: Monday, 12 August 2024 07:15
- Written by Guy Tuggle
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As the government begins to grapple with the complex issue of NHS contract reform, one of the leading dental indemnity providers, Dental Protection, has issued a ‘shopping list‘ of improvements which it maintains need to be addressed if dentistry is to emerge into the kind of service the dental workforce and patients seek.
In addition to a universally acknowledged need to overhaul access to NHS dentistry via contract reform, the indemnity provider is calling on the government to reform the GDC and specifically, its clinical negligence claims process.
Measures to improve child oral health and to grow and support the dental workforce are other key requirements.
The recommendations are outlined in Dental Protection’s Priorities for the New Government.
Not surprisingly, given its role in the profession, Dental Protection’s first request is for an overhaul of the GDC.
’The new Government has entered Downing Street 40 years after the enactment of The Dentists Act – the legislation which gives GDC its powers. Previous governments have progressed a range of reforms to other regulators’ legislation while making it clear that GDC reform was a lower priority’ a statement said.
Giving the regulator enhanced discretion to not progress investigations that clearly do not warrant action could play a significant role in reducing lengthy and consequently stressful delays to the GDC’s fitness to practise processes. The GDC, by focussing its efforts on the most serious allegations, would then be able to make faster progress.
In a 2023 Dental Protection survey of 125 dental professionals who had been investigated by the dental regulator, 82% said the process had a detrimental impact on their mental health.
Access to NHS dentistry is seen as a burning issue to be tackled as a priority, and Dental Protection cited data from June 2023 which exposed the fact that only 41% of adults had seen an NHS dentist in the last two years. More than a quarter of pensioners feared they would have to carry out their own dentistry.
The indemnifier is also calling for funding for public health to enable Councils to offer crucial early interventions in child oral health. Tooth decay is preventable yet remains the number one reason why children are admitted to hospital.
Raj Rattan, Dental Protection’s Dental Director, said: “Dentistry in the UK is at a crossroads. Important decisions - ranging from changes to the NHS General Dental Services Contract to GDC reform - which have been deferred and delayed must now be addressed. This new Government needs to implement a wide package of much needed reforms to secure, strengthen and safeguard dental services for the future.
Image credit - Bruce Turner under CC licence - not modified.
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