The Herald (Scotland) reports that a survey to uncover the truth about the finances of Scottish dentists cost almost £40,000 and just one dental practice submitted a response. Margie Taylor, chief dental officer for Scotland, said the survey was organised as the Review Body did not feel they had enough information about the costs of running a practice.
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A father and son, John and Matthew Hargreaves, have been jailed for selling unsafe DIY teeth-whitening kits that left some users with bleeding gums from chemical burns. They were alleged to have made more than £3 million from the sales. They were jailed for 18 months at Merthyr Crown Court in South Wales.
Read more: Father and son jailed for selling tooth-whitening kits
NHS England has agreed new steps to implement plans to strengthen general practice, ease the pressure on GPs and improve services for patients. The measures aim to help struggling GP practices, protect GPs from the rising cost of negligence claims and introduce new models of care that will create more joined-up services.
Read more: NHS England takes action to ease pressures on GPs
In Scotland the taxable income of GDPs decreased to £67,000 in 2014/15 as their expenses increased more than their gross earnings. This compares with a taxable income of £68,000 in 2013/14. Scottish dentists (full and part time) worked an average of 38.0 hours per week in dentistry in 2015/16, with 29.1 hours (76%) in the NHS and 23.4 privately.
The taxable income of all GDPs in Northern Ireland decreased in 2014/15 was £70,500, a 1.4% decrease on their 2013/14 taxable income of £71,400. GDPs in Northern Ireland worked an average of 37.1 hours a week, with principals working 42.7 and associates 33.5 hours.
In England and Wales during 2014/15 there was a drop in taxable income for GDPs continuing the general trend since 2006/07. Their average taxable income was £70,500, a 1.6 per cent decrease on £71,700 in 2013/14. For contract holders net income was £117,400. For associates it was £59,900.
Read more: England and Wales: drop in GDP earnings in 2014/15
GDPs work an average of 36.9 hours per week in dentistry, with contract holders working 41.4 hours and associates 36 hours. 70.7% is worked in the NHS and 29.3% privately in mixed practice. Overall, dentists’ time is split 77.8% on clinical work and 22.2% on non-clinical work (including administrative and management duties).
Public Health England has published a report which shows that young children exceed sugar recommendations, but are having fewer sugary drinks. Children aged four to 10 years are consuming more than double the recommended amount of sugar and teenagers more than three times. But consumption of sugary drinks has fallen compared to six years ago.
Read more: Young children having too much sugar but fewer sugary drinks
An inquest in Cambridge into the death of Dr Helen Nicoll has found that she hung herself in the hall of her £1.5million house in the Cambridgeshire village of Great Wilbraham following a violent argument with her husband on June 4, 2015. Her behaviour had become increasingly erratic after a patient of 20 years began trying to sue her in February 2015.