Government responds to OFT report on dentistry
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- Published: Saturday, 25 August 2012 10:49
- Written by News Editor
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| The Department of Health has responded to the recent OFT report into dentistry. It acknowledges that the vast majority of patients are happy with their dental treatment and that the majority of dentists behave ethically.PCTs will dentists misleading patients about availability of NHS care. It welcomes the recommendations on better direct access and improved information for patients. |
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Response The Government shares the concerns of OFT that a minority of dentists deny patients all or part of the NHS care available on the basis of misinformation. This is a very serious matter and any dentist doing so deliberately is in breach of their NHS contract. In such cases, the PCT with whom they have the contract can take action to terminate it.
Recommendation: Direct patient access to dental care professionals
Response: The Government welcomes the OFT’s proposals for direct access to DCPs. We want people to be able to see the right dental professional when they need to. Clearly, this needs to be in a managed and clinically appropriate environment and we welcome the GDC’s intent to resolve this issue in the best interest of patients.
We are currently piloting elements needed to design a new dental contract. These pilots will help establish a better basis for a system where patients can see the right dental professional when they need to, and in an appropriate environment.
Recommendation: Reform of the NHS dental contract in England
The OFT suggested the Department of Health redesign the NHS dental contract to facilitate easier entry into the market by new dental practices and allow successful practices to expand. To facilitate this, The OFT urged the department to consider introducing a system in which ‘any qualified provider’ may deliver NHS services to dental patients. The OFT also asked the department to consider ending the existing arrangement where most contracts are non time limited and replacing these with fixed term contracts.
Response: The Government intends NHS primary care dentistry to remain, as with other primary care services a commissioned service. Commissioners are already free to let new contracts on a time limited basis, and many do choose to do so. Primary care trusts report strong competition when new contracts go out to tender from existing and would be new providers of services.
We intend to make the process of bidding for new services easier. Under the new commissioning arrangements commencing April 2013, the NHS Commissioning Board will directly commission dentistry. This will enable a more consistent approach to the procurement of services and should make it easier for practices to identify opportunities to compete for contracts.
We are committed to introducing a new dental contract based on capitation, registration and quality, and are currently piloting elements needed to design this new contract in 70 practices across England, in order to gather learning ahead of implementation. We will investigate a range of new options in designing this new contract, including whether and how we could introduce the concept of ‘any qualified provider’ into NHS dentistry.
Recommendation: Simplification of the complaints process
The OFT considers that the current dental complaints system should be
reformed to make it simpler, easier and less time consuming for patients and
dentists to resolve complaints.
Response: The Government shares the OFT’s view that patients’ ability to make a complaint about dental treatment should be made as simple as possible. We are updating the patient leaflet to highlight the availability of information on the complaints procedure and the opportunity to give feedback on practices on NHS Choices. However, more work is being done in this area to improve information on patients’ views of different dental practices.
Recommendation: Develop a code of practice covering sale of private dental plans
Response: The Government shares the OFT’s concerns that a minority of dentists are behaving inappropriately in this manner, and we welcome the agreement reached between the BDA and OFT to introduce a code of practice to avoid mis-selling or pressuring patients to take up sale of private dental plans.
There should be clear penalties for the minority of dentists who mislead patients. In particular, accepting children under NHS arrangements on condition of parents signing up to private payment plans is a breach of contract.
For report go to: http://tinyurl.com/buok4tj
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