The Government's candidate to be the next chair of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Peter Wyman, has appeared in front of the Commons Health Committee for a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing. They were pleased to endorse his appointment and wish him well as he takes up his post. Their only reservation was his lack of experience in clinical settings, which they felt could be addressed.
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The Chancellor, George Osborne, has published a policy paper aimed at boosting competition to bring down bills for households. In it he says he intends to implement some of the provisions of the 2012 OFT report including time-limited NHS contracts open to any qualified provider, more transparent price lists in dental practices and an end to patients being misled over what is available under NHS dental contracts.
The British Dental Association (BDA) has responded to news that government appears to have relented in its bid to impose a new contract on hospital dentists and medics. The BDA had completed its own ballot on industrial action, with 100 per cent of voters backing it.
Read more: BDA: 100% hospital dentists backed industrial action
Making sure that the thousands of children every year who don’t see a dentist get access to dental care should be a priority for the Government’s Mandate to NHS England (NHSE) says BSPD President Dr Robin Mills, responding to the Department of Health’s consultation on the priorities for the years ahead. He argues that with improved communication between dentists and opticians and other health professionals such as GPs, children could be better protected.
Read more: Accessing the missing 30% of English children who don’t see a dentist
MPs have debated an e-petition signed by over 150,000 people calling for a tax on sugary drinks. At the same time they considered a report by the Health Select Committee on childhood obesity. Committee chair Dr Sarah Wollaston MP endorsed the proposal, but said such a tax was not a ‘silver bullet’ but should be part of a package of measures.
A new study by King's College London suggests that many people with a dental phobia could benefit from cognitive behavioural therapy. It could help them overcome their fear of visiting the dentist and enable them to receive dental treatment without the need to be sedated. Professor Tim Newton, lead author of the study, said: "The primary goal of our CBT service is to enable patients to receive dental treatment without the need for sedation, by working with each individual patient to set goals according to their priorities.”
Read more: Cognitive behaviour therapy can help overcome fear of the dentist