Recommendation 17

In terms of the other initiatives, NHSE confirmed that it is too early to say whether the uplift to £28 minimum UDA value has had any impact.46 It said that it will only be after the year end that data will be available on the UDA uplift.47 For ‘golden hellos’, as of February 2025 only 39 (less than 20% of the hoped for 240) ‘golden hello’ dentists had been appointed. NHSE acknowledged that this was a “slightly slower start than we had hoped” but felt that a longer time scale will be needed to evaluate whether that initiative has generated benefits.48 No ICB has decided to commission a mobile dental van.49 NHSE has begun publishing data on the NPP, and a programme of evaluation has commenced, but beyond that will need more time to definitively say what impact, if any, the plan has had.50 40 Q 13 41 Q 14 42 C&AG’s Report, para 3.5 43 Q 14 44 Q 14 45 DHSC, Dental patients to benefit from 700,000 extra urgent appointments, published 21 February 2025 46 Q 26 47 Q 14 48 Qq 41–42 49 Q 49 50 Q 73 13