The second NHS Confidence Monitor - a survey designed to capture how confident the profession are in the future of NHS dentistry - is open until the end of June for dentists to take part and share their views.

So far undertaken by almost 250 dentists the survey explores the profession’s thoughts on the future of:

• Career prospects

• Remuneration levels

• Getting the balance of treatment versus prevention within the NHS right

• The ability of the team to work effectively within the NHS.

Following on from first survey, conducted at the end of 2014, the second NHS Confidence Monitor will reveal how confidence levels decline and increase as new information about the contract reforms emerges. The results will help to provide insight into dentists’ perceptions of the future of NHS dentistry.

Among other findings, the first survey revealed that almost half of dental professionals working within the NHS (44%) were less confident that practising dentistry within the NHS would offer the right balance of treatment versus prevention over a 12-month period than they were a year earlier.

Commenting on the opportunities the survey presents, Eddie Crouch, Vice Chair of the British Dental Association Principal Executive Committee, said:

‘It will be very interesting to see how confidence levels in NHS dentistry have changed, particularly in light of the General Election, and I look forward to the results. I hope to see even more NHS dentists taking part in this survey so the profession has a greater insight into the possible future effect of NHS dentistry.’

As an NHS dentist, how do you feel about the future of dentistry? To have your say and help to inform your colleagues, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NHSConfidenceMonitor before the end of June. It will take just two minutes of your time to take part in this unique opportunity, while the results may inform the long-term future of many.

If you would like to see the results from the first survey, please visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/NHSDentistryInsights

The NHS Confidence Monitor is an independent survey commissioned by Practice Plan.

That third letter has a lot to answer for. What DOES it stand for I wonder?

Competent?

Well, the GDC are adamant. In their role as a “Council” They are improving immensely, and have refuted the FGDP’s assertion [1] that they have not "learnt any lessons" after their 2014 ‘Annus Horribilus” [2]

Given that when you are bumping along the bottom, the only way is up, I guess we should on the one hand be grateful for small changes and perhaps acknowledge that internally , the GDC are attempting to re-configure the disaster that is FtP.

Speaking with the Dento-Legal teams, there is a sense that the peak, the height of the tide of FtP, if you will, has either passed is passing.

Complacent?

The GDC in their latest report state [3]

• 9. The triage KPI has improved and is being met in almost all instances. 99% of cases were triaged within 14 days in Q1. This has now been 97% or above for three quarters in a row.
• 10. The Hearings KPI was met in a smaller number of cases in this period. 61% of cases were heard in Q1 within 9 months of referral from IC. This has reduced from 67% in the previous quarter. However, a much larger number of hearings were held in Q1 than Q4 (66 v 37).

Add to that the pilot schemes to require that the NHS get its own house in order with matters of performance and one can see that the steam pressure in Wimpole Street is indeed reducing.

Perhaps it is wrong to regard the GDC as a Great Day for Complacency?  Internally, it appears we have an organisation finally “getting it!”

On an annual basis, it appears that FtP cases may reduce by some 300 to 350.

• 756 cases were received in Q1, when as many as 825 may have been expected.  

So we can expect at the very least a static ARF in December … can’t we?  Too much to hope that the GDC’s success might result in an ARF reduction!!

Talking of which, I wonder what the HoC Health Select Committee report will state. It all seems so long ago now.  In fact, I can even see the GDC Press release batting it away like an annoying fly in an arrogant, even corrupt sort of way. The FGDP pulled no punches for sure. [4]

Corrupt?

We could discuss whether the GDC are a corrupt body [5] – not in the fiscal sense, but in the aggressive occupation of the moral high ground. The FGDP have a point really – the GDC have utterly lost the confidence of the profession.  It is a measure of their arrogance that they fail to see this.  It is a measure of their insularity that they see dentists as a minority Registrant group.

I wonder what it will take for all those dentists and DCPs who partake in the FtP Process and indeed sit on the Council to withdraw their support.

Well, they might wish to consider their position on the matter of the GDC being in discussions with the Dept of Health to see how to amend the regulations to allow the new Oral Health Assessment to be undertaken by Therapists.

The well-worn phrase of Lord Acton suggests that while all power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I put it to you that the GDC is indeed corrupt, by throwing away its independence in its dealings with Government.

It is not acting in the best interest of the patient, it is acting in the best interest of the Minister of the day.

Correct, Competent, Campaigning

The FGDP and BDA are suddenly standing up; their heads are above the political parapets and dentists, as a profession are starting to demand to be heard, to be counted. Join one, join both, but do sit idly by.

What’s in the letter “C”?  Quite a lot as you can see

Enjoy flaming June, the Cricket looks as if it could be exciting  .

Ciao!!

[1]   http://www.fgdp.org.uk/content/news/fgdpuk-statement-care-standards-and-fitness-to-pra.ashx

[2]  http://www.gdc-uk.org/Newsandpublications/Pressreleases/Pages/General-Dental-Council-challenges-FGDP(UK)-stance.aspx

[3]  http://www.gdc-uk.org/Aboutus/Thecouncil/Council%20Meeting%20Documents%202014/Review%20of%20Direct%20Access.pdf

[4] http://www.fgdp.org.uk/_assets/pdf/consultation%20responses/hsc%20accountability%20hearing_gdc_fgdp%20submission_feb15.pdf

[5]  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption

Denplan has released its latest research (commissioned through Facts International), based on a survey asking NHS dentists* for their views on a variety of issues related to NHS dentistry.  The survey examined their opinions about the current contract as well as their knowledge of the pilots and prototypes.  Other key issues the NHS dentists were asked about included their confidence around NHS funding commitments filtering through to primary care dentistry, motivation levels for making changes to their practice situation and the impact of the Friends and Family Test. 

The key findings are summarised below:

Current NHS contract and prototypes

• Nearly half the dentists (49%) are dissatisfied with working under the current NHS contract, with only 3% very satisfied and 29% saying they are fairly satisfied
• Two thirds (65%) of dentists don’t feel very knowledgeable about the current situation regarding NHS dentistry pilots and prototypes, rating their knowledge as fair or poor
• Three quarters (76%) agree that they are frustrated that more than four years after piloting began we are still no nearer to a final model
• 57% of these frustrated dentists have decided on making changes to their practice in the next 12 months
• Only 54% are aware that the pilots will soon terminate and that a number of practices will act as prototypes for the reformed NHS contracts in England.  66% of these think that it is unlikely the prototype model will free them from the UDA system

NHS funding for primary care dentistry

• 95% of dentists are not confident that political assurances for NHS funding commitments will filter down to primary care dentistry
• 56% think that the 2006 contract’s cap on the dental budget will not be reversed
• 86% of dentists overwhelmingly agree they would like NHS England to state clearly what is and what is not available in NHS dentistry – just 2% disagreed

Impact of Friends and Family Test

• 72% have commenced using the Friends and Family Test (FFT) that was introduced in April but the majority of respondents (73%)  didn’t think the FFT would be useful for either their practice or their patients

Roger Matthews, Chief Dental Officer at Denplan commented: “It is apparent from these survey results that many NHS dentists continue to feel disillusioned and frustrated with the lack of clear direction around the NHS contract changes. There also appears to be a general lack of understanding in relation to the pilots and prototype models.  With the realisation that the NHS funding situation for primary care dentistry does not look likely to improve, it is unsurprising that many NHS dentists may be feeling uncertain as to the future viability of their practice if they stay with the NHS. The result is that a significant proportion of NHS dentists are considering a change to the way they manage and fund their practice in the foreseeable future.

“Dentists appear to also be concerned about the hours it will take their practice to compile the statistics from the now mandatory Friends and Family Test, with half saying it will take their practice between 1-4 hours a month to process the results. This could add up to the equivalent of at least 6 days a year spent away from delivering patient care.”

Matthews added: “Managing the transition from NHS to private dentistry can be a daunting prospect for many dentists, but at Denplan we have a long heritage in supporting NHS dentists in making this transition, helping to ensure they retain their practice income and continue to run a successful practice in the future.   Denplan ‘Principal only Transitions’ give dentists the option to retain NHS patients whilst benefitting from all the support and experience necessary to choose the right payment plan for them, their practice and their patients.”

Denplan is running a series of seminars throughout June, entitled “Your practice, Your Choices” which will examine the upcoming changes to  NHS contracts for dentists, how dentists might be affected and help them understand what actions they need to be considering now.  For further information and to book a place practices can visit: www.denplan.co.uk/events-and-training/your-practice-your-choices or call 0800 169 5697.

*100 dentists responded to an online survey in April and May 2015, with all respondents holding an NHS contract in England, treating over 70% of their patient base as NHS patients.  They were not part of a corporate body or a member of a payment plan provider.

Acronyms should be catchy in dentistry, shouldn't they? Surely that's a rule? GDC, BDA, DPL, CQC, NVQ, CPD . . . It also seems to be a rule that they have to be three letter acronyms but maybe the exception proves the point!

I have been puzzled by the newer demand to note non-verifiable education. GDC call it "General CPD".

In my mind non verified means it cannot be defined nor denoted as a specified event in time.

I feel if written down, this act of noting the time spent means it is verified. Expressing this the other way, the act of writing, noting the activity, makes it no longer non-verifiable, to my mind. I therefore offer you 2 minutes of recorded general CPD for reading this article on a dental website, and of course, closing your eyes and reflecting on it.. There you go. Only 174 hours 58 minutes to go and RECORD!

I propose, if the GDC insist we must continue to note this time spent, and they do, this part of recorded CPD has now become not-non-verified and must be renamed as "self verified personal study time".

I'm off to do some SVPST!

Now that's bound to catch on.

Image credit - Moyan Brenn  under CC licence - not modified.