1000 more dentists by October 2005 UK
In a written House of Commons statement, John Reid set out reforms for the way NHS dentists work and plans to recruit the equivalent of an extra 1000 NHS Dentists by October next year. John Reid said:
"I want more people to be able to see an NHS dentist. So we are investing an extra £368 million in NHS dentistry, recruiting 1000 more NHS dentists in little over a year and reforming the dental system to improve the long term oral health of the nation."
To ensure that more people can see an NHS dentist when and where they need, the equivalent of 1,000 dentists will be recruited by October 2005. It is expected that some 650 of these will be new recruits, either from home or abroad. They will be recruited through a number of routes:
dentists increasing their level of commitment to the NHS;
-- attracting dentists to return to the NHS from career breaks, by a better deal and more flexible working;
-- recruiting via an international recruitment programme that is already underway, targeting dentists from the EU; and by
-- speeding up the process for overseas dentists to register to work in the UK.
In addition, NHS dentistry will benefit from unprecedented investment:
-- the Government will fund 170 extra undergraduate dental training places in England from October 2005 - a 25 per cent increase. Revenue costs for this will reach £29m by 2010/11;
-- capital investment of £80m over four years to support this expansion;
-- by 2005/6, NHS dentistry will receive extra funding of over £250m a year - an increase of 19.3 per cent compared with spending in 2003/4;
-- in recognition of the additional work and training dentists and their practice staff will need to prepare for changes, an extra £9 million will be provided to help dental practices prepare.
And reforms will be introduced to modernise the dentistry profession for the 21st century through:
-- a new dentists contract making it possible for them to spend more time with patients and encourage preventative care;
-- using the skills of the entire dental team more efficiently with new roles for hygienists and dental nurses;
-- local Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) will use the £1.6 billion devolved budget to ensure that local expenditure on dentistry is sustained.
John Reid said:
"I have demanded we recruit 1000 more NHS dentists immediately to make it easier for people to see an NHS dentist, but I also want to reform the system so dentists want to work for the NHS in the future.
"Dental services will be properly integrated with the rest of the NHS providing better access to services and an improved patient experience. The package of measures I've announced today represents an unprecedented level of Government commitment and investment in NHS dentistry."
Health Minister Rosie Winterton, who will lead on implementing the reforms said:
"Our plans will underpin a modernised, high-quality primary dental service provided through contracts between Primary Care Trusts and dental practices. The new contract will put NHS dentistry on a solid footing by getting rid of bureaucracy and making sure new ways of working, designed to deliver the best oral health for patients, are well rewarded.
"We are confident that the new contract will work for NHS patients and dentists alike because we've successfully piloted it across the country. I'm confident that many dentists will want to take up the new contract because it removes them from a treatment and paperwork treadmill. We want to work with the dental profession to implement it and give all dentists the freedom from bureaucracy that the pilot sites have shown.
"We are expecting to receive new NICE guidance soon on how often people should go for a check up, and will then need to consult on a simplified charging system."
Chief Dental Officer Raman Bedi whose report entitled NHS Dentistry: Delivering Change was published today said:
"Dental health in adults and school age children is better than it has been since records began. However, not everyone has benefited from the general progress and poor dental health is still too closely linked to deprivation.
"The key to improving both oral health and people having NHS dental treatment is a new set of working arrangements that make more effective use of NHS resources. It would be a mistake to invest heavily in the existing system of NHS dentistry, which was designed for a different era and no longer meets our needs.
"I'm confident that the new working arrangements for dentistry announced by John Reid today will deliver greater access for patients, a higher quality service, and a better deal for dentists."
Related links
NHS Dentistry: Delivering Change - Report by the Chief Dental Officer (England) July 2004 Notes to editor
1. In 2005/06 when budgets are devolved to PCTs, the total dentistry budget will be £1.6bn. £50m of this will be a transfer for superannuation costs. £1.55bn for 05/06, excluding superannuation, represents a 19 percent increase on expenditure of £1.3bn.
2. This increase is more than the equivalent increase in total NHS revenue expenditure of 17.8%. It is recognised that more needs to be done to improve dental services in some parts of the country to provide modern, accessible services.
3. We have listened to dentists and are allowing an extra 6 months to prepare for the changes. The new contractual arrangements for dentists will therefore be implemented in October 2005. In advance of that date, we will support any dentists that wish to move to the new ways of working.
4. NHS Dentistry: Delivering Change, a report by the Chief Dental Officer (CDO) is available at the Department of Health website via the above link
5. The CDO will chair a working party to decide where best the extra undergraduate training places will be provided and examine how new and more efficient ways of training dentists will ensure graduates have the skills required by the NHS in the future.
6. An advertising campaign targeting dentists who have had career breaks from NHS dentistry was launched in the national press and in dentistry magazines on 30th June.
7. Case studies of dentists piloting the new ways of working and how this is benefitting patients is available from the Department of Health Media Centre by contacting Georgie Agass on 020 7210 5738.
Media enquiries only to the Department of Health Media Centre on 020 7210 5329 / 5724 / 4984 / 5229.
1000 mai multe stomatologi în octombrie, 2005 Regatul Unit - 1000 more dentists by October 2005 UK - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate