Recommendations & Conclusions
13 items
1
Conclusion
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Accepted
We believe there is a crisis of access in NHS dentistry. Many people are unable to access an NHS dentist or are travelling significant distances to get to one. Access varies across the country and is being experienced unequally by different groups. We believe everyone should be able to access …
Government response. The government accepts the recommendation and outlined several reforms announced in July 2022, including allowing high-performing practices to take more patients, fairer payment for complex care, and requiring NHS dentists to update their availability online. It also states a forthcoming …
Department of Health and Social Care
2
Recommendation
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Accepted
We welcome the Government’s ambition for everyone who needs an NHS dentist to be able to access one. This ambition must ensure access within a reasonable timeframe and a reasonable distance. The Government must set out how they intend to realise this ambition and what the timeline will be for …
Government response. The government accepts the recommendation and highlights existing measures, such as NHS England's Patient and Public Voice group to improve patient understanding and the contractual requirement for dental practices to quarterly update their NHS website profiles. It also notes additional …
Department of Health and Social Care
3
Conclusion
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Accepted
A lack of public awareness about NHS dental services and how practices operate is contributing to access issues. The Government and NHS England should roll-out a patient information campaign with the aim of improving awareness of how NHS dentistry will work and ensure the public are better informed about what …
Government response. The government accepts the recommendation, clarifying that there is no formal patient registration system. It supports adherence to NICE recall guidelines and details existing measures from 2022 reforms for practices to provide urgent dental care and use risk-based recalls, with …
Department of Health and Social Care
9
Conclusion
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Accepted
We believe patient registration under a reformed capitation-based contract will better enable those patients who currently can’t access a dentist to be able to do so.
Government response. The government partially accepts, detailing existing and planned measures like a 5.13% uplift to NHS dental contracts and guidance for Integrated Care Boards on 'Flexible Commissioning' for local initiatives. They are also exploring tie-ins for new dentists and developing a …
Department of Health and Social Care
11
Conclusion
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Accepted
The Government states that the number of NHS dentists has increased over the past year. However, while the headcount has gone up over the past year, it has gone down over the past three years, and moreover headcount alone does not reflect how much NHS work these dentists are undertaking. …
Government response. The government accepts the importance of efficient processing for overseas dentists, confirming they are working with the GDC to clear the registration backlog. They highlight specific GDC actions to triple ORE Part 1 capacity and increase Part 2 sittings to …
Department of Health and Social Care
12
Recommendation
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Accepted
The Government and NHS England should commission a dental workforce survey to understand how many full-time and part-time-equivalent dentists, dental nurses, therapists and hygienists are working in the NHS, and how much NHS and private activity they are undertaking, alongside demographic data such as age and location.
Government response. The government accepts the recommendation, stating that NHS England introduced a new biannual dental workforce survey in October 2023, which will collect comprehensive data on the dental team and NHS activity, with initial data expected by early 2024.
Department of Health and Social Care
13
Recommendation
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Accepted
The Government and NHS England must improve the routine data that is collected on the number of NHS dentists and the wider dental team, and the levels of NHS activity they undertake, as well as data on demand, to assist with workforce planning and identifying gaps in provision. This must …
Government response. The government accepts the recommendation, stating that NHS England introduced a new biannual dental workforce survey in October 2023 to improve data collection on the dental team and NHS activity, with initial data expected by early 2024. They also highlight …
Department of Health and Social Care
15
Recommendation
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Accepted
The Government, NHS England and ICBs must ensure that the reformed contract ensures that full use is made of the skills of the whole dental team. (Paragraph 73) NHS dentistry 35
Government response. The government accepts the recommendation, having already published guidance in July 2022 to facilitate dental therapists and hygienists opening treatment courses, and completed a consultation on changes to human medicines regulations to expand their scope of practice, with a response …
Department of Health and Social Care
16
Conclusion
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Accepted
We support the implementation of the work of the Advancing Dental Care Review. Centres for Dental Development could have the potential to change how we approach training dentists in the UK to meet the needs of the populations who most require care. However, these are in their early stages and …
Government response. The government partially accepts, stating that Integrated Care Boards are responsible for undertaking oral health needs assessments to support commissioning priorities and are working towards having these assessments in place by July 2024.
Department of Health and Social Care
17
Conclusion
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Accepted
The backlog of applications for the Overseas Registration Exam is unacceptable and resolving this represents an opportunity in the short term to increase the number of dentists working in the NHS, and therefore create more appointments to enable patients to access much-needed services.
Government response. The government accepts the recommendation, detailing that it is working with the GDC to clear the backlog by tripling ORE Part 1 exam capacity and increasing Part 2 sittings for 2024. Additionally, it has streamlined processes for overseas-qualified dentists, including …
Department of Health and Social Care
18
Recommendation
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Accepted
The Government must work with the General Dental Council to ensure the backlog of applications for the Overseas Registration Exam is cleared in a timely manner, and to speed up changes to the process of international registration for new applicants seeking to work in the NHS.
Government response. The government accepts the recommendation, detailing GDC's increased ORE exam capacities from August 2023 and 2024, and listing specific measures already taken to streamline international registration processes for overseas-qualified dentists to work in the NHS.
Department of Health and Social Care
23
Recommendation
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Accepted
We welcome the initiatives outlined by the Chief Dental Officer to help ICBs commission dental services in a way that best meets the needs of their local populations. NHS 36 NHS dentistry England should provide evidence of the effectiveness of these initiatives, so that ICBs can see for themselves which …
Government response. The government accepts the recommendation, stating that NHS England published guidance in October 2023 with commissioning options for ICBs, and will release a further publication in 2024 providing practical examples of services and commissioning options to spread best practice.
Department of Health and Social Care
24
Recommendation
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Accepted
In light of the current national contracting arrangements, NHS England must provide clarity to ICBs about what flexibilities they have with regard to commissioning NHS dental services and targeting resources according to the needs of their populations.
Government response. The government accepts the recommendation, stating that NHS England published guidance in October 2023 to provide ICBs with clarity on commissioning flexibilities within the national dental contractual framework, and will issue further guidance with practical examples in 2024.
Department of Health and Social Care