The GDC has opened a consultation, which runs until May 15, on a new way on setting their fees. The GDC stresses that this is a consultation about the mechanisms for setting fee levels rather than about the level of fees themselves. Details are how to respond can be found on the GDC website www.gdc-uk.org
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The BDA and other primary care leaders have told Government to act now to stop flawed implementation of EU data regulations heaping unnecessary additional burdens on high street health providers. In a joint letter, the groups have called on Minister for Digital and Culture Margot James to drop plans to require all NHS providers to appoint a Data Protection Officer.
Read more: Botched new Data Protection Act could slap £2k bill on small NHS providers
NHS Digital has published its NHS Dental Statistics for the second quarter of 2017/18. They show a 1.3% reduction in courses of treatment compared with the previous year. 22.1 million adults were seen (50.9%) and 6.9 million (58%) of the child population.
An experiment by researchers in Spain has shown that exposing human gingival cells to compounds found in red wine appeared to protect against microbes that cause plaque and cavities. The authors suggested the molecules should be tested as “preventative therapies” for various oral diseases. Here in the UK, Prof Walmsley urges caution.
The Government is to restrict lawyers by capping the costs that they can recover in clinical negligence cases, following a consultation exercise on their proposals. Ministers will establish a working group to establish how the cap, which would apply to all cases worth less than £25,000, will work in practice, to report in the autumn.
Read more: Government to cap lawyers fees in negligence cases
Ben Underwood, creator of the toothbrushing app Brush DJ, has been named the winner of the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry’s Outstanding Innovation Award. The judges were unanimous in their decision as well as united in their praise for the high standard of entries in 2018. Two other entries were Highly Commended and both originated from Leeds where the oral health of children is among the worst in the country.
The Department of Health and Social Care has invited practices to submit their expression of interest to become a prototype practice. Prototype regulations have been extended for a further two years. The aim in taking on additional sites is both to increase the overall learning while simultaneously focussing on the practical learning that will be gained. The deadline for applications is March 9.
Read more: Department seeks practices for 4th wave prototypes
The BDA says that successive below-inflation pay awards, combined with lengthy delays in their implementation, have led to very considerable erosion of dental incomes. In its 2018/19 submission, the BDA has called for a pay uplift, which must at the very least curb any further erosion of pay in real terms. They are calling for an inflation (RPI) linked award plus 2%.
A number of beauticians in London are performing illegal teeth-whitening procedures, which can leave patients in crippling pain if they go wrong, the BBC reports. One place was secretly filmed using illegal levels of the hydrogen peroxide at a strength of 25%, compared with the maximum legal strength useable by dentists of 6%.
Read more: Illegal teeth whitening caused "excruciating pain"