The BBC reports that more than 40,000 people a year in England are getting fines of £100 or £150 - from an automated system that dentists say is hitting the most vulnerable. The fines, which amount to about £4m per year, are being applied by a random screening process that checks on whether people going to the dentist are really eligible for free treatment.
No comments
The latest practice goodwill survey results have just been released by The National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants and Lawyers (NASDAL) and it does appear that the market as a whole is still buoyant. However, there may be a geographical divide opening up across the UK, with the hoighest values in London, the South East, Birmingham and Manchester.
The GDC has appointed four new clinical dental advisers and a senior dental adviser to join its fitness to practise team. They are Margaret Naylor, Richard Cox, Richard Lawson, Shamir Mehta and Christopher Roome. The new members will advise on the clinical aspects of a fitness to practise investigation using written reports and all of the new appointments are currently practising dentistry.
In its latest report on the sectors it regulates, the Care Quality Conmission (CQC) said the picture for the dental sector was positive. The majority (88%) of dental practices that they inspected were meeting regulations relating to all five key questions. Both BDA and FGDP(UK) have welcomed these findings, as a 'recognition of the dedication and professionalism of dentists and dental practice teams across England.'
In answer to a Parliamnetary Question by Steve McCabe, junior health minister Steve Brine published a table showing that last year 4.4 million UDAs, with a value of £129 million were not delivered in 2,409 contracts. In answer to another question Mr Brine said 22.2 million adults and 6.8 million children were seen by a dentist last year.
It has been reported that snack companies are spend 27 times more pushing sugary and salty foods than the government does on promoting healthy eating. Additionally, the food watchdog has found that coconut water could be just as harmful as many sugary drinks. However a health minister has said they will publish an assessment of its programme for sugar reduction next year.