Some GPs are drawing up plans to sidestep NHS rules and charge their patients for weekend or evening appointments, it was reported by the magazine Pulse. But this is opposed by the BMA’s GP committee. NHS England was reported as saying: “All patients have a right to access high-quality primary care services which are free at the point of delivery.”
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Dental lecturer and histopathologist in Leeds School of Dentistry, Dr Alec High, has been erased from the Dentists Register by the GDC. The FtP panel found that he regularly enjoyed lunchtime sex sessions at his office and had lied to cover up his activities, which the panel found was ‘misleading and dishonest’.
Care home residents should be helped to brush their teeth twice a day, says NICE. A new draft quality standard is out for consultation and advises care home staff to assess the oral health needs of their residents on admission and record these in personal care plans. They should then be supported to clean their teeth twice a day or their dentures daily.
Read more: NICE calls on care homes to prioritise the oral health of residents
Researchers have found that chewing food prompts the release of an immune cell that can protect against infection. The study, recently published in the journal Immunity, found that mastication can stimulate the release of T helper 17 (Th17) cells in the mouth. The study team was led by Dr. Joanne Konkel of the University of Manchester.
NHS England’s closure of the “urgent dental service” in Kentish Town has been condemned for leaving the capital’s 8.7 million residents with only two busy hospitals to go to with teeth problems. The disappearance is the latest loss of walk-in services across England for people with emergencies such as a broken tooth or abscess.
The Local Government Association, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, says that excessive consumption of sugary food and drink and poor oral hygiene is likely to be a major cause behind the high number of cases. New figures show there were more than 40,000 hospital operations to remove teeth in children and teenagers last year – the equivalent of more than 160 a day.
Read more: More than 160 operations a day to remove teeth in children