Small decrease in NHS patients seen
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- Published: Thursday, 31 October 2013 07:38
- Written by News Editor
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The number of NHS patients seen in the 24 month period ending June 2013 was 29.8, 11 thousand fewer than the period ending March 2013, according to the latest figures from the Information Centre. The number of Courses of Treatment, delivered in 2012/13, was 249 thousand than the previous year. More fluoride varnishes are being applied. 281 more dentists were working in the NHS. 80% of dentists are associates.
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Key Facts
Patients Seen
29.8 million patients were seen in the 24 month period ending June 2013, an increase of 1.6 million on the March 2006 baseline, and 11 thousand fewer than the 24 month period ending March 2013. Latest figures represent 56.0 per cent of the population compared with the March 2006 baseline of 55.8 per cent. 7.8 million children were seen by an NHS dentist in the 24 month period ending June 2013. The percentage of the child population seen during this period was 69.1 per cent, a fall of 1.6 percentage points on the March 2006 baseline despite an increase of 41 thousand (0.5 per cent) in the actual numbers of children seen.
Activity
39.3 million Courses of Treatment (CoT) were delivered in 2012/13, a decrease of 249 thousand (0.6 per cent) on the previous year. While this represents a reversal of an established period of growth, the majority of the decrease can be attributed to the phasing out of UDA credits for prescription only CoT. As UDA are weighted CoT the pattern of change in UDA broadly reflects those for CoT. Percentage of UDA for Band 3 treatments, by patient type 2012/13 The greater provision of more complex treatments (band 3) to non-paying adults, compared with other patient types, may reflect a lower standard of dental health among these patients. This is supported by findings from the Adult Dental Health Survey 2009
Clinical Treatments
45.4 per cent, the rise in the number of child CoT including a fluoride varnish. 2 million child CoT contained this treatment, representing 19.1 per cent of all child CoT. 31.7 per cent, the rise in the number of adult CoT including the same treatment, now at 632 thousand, representing 2.2 per cent of all adult CoT. 592 thousand adult CoT included a prescribed antibiotic item, an increase of 32.6 per cent from 447 thousand last year. For children fluoride varnish is now the third most common treatment item, behind examinations and fillings and sealant restorations. Fluoride varnish is a preparation applied to the teeth surfaces as a primary preventive measure. This growth is consistent with guidelines from the Department of Health’s Delivering Better Oral Health2 toolkit which advocates the routine use of fluoride to improve dental health, particularly the provision of twice-yearly fluoride varnish treatments as a preventive measure for children.
Workforce
23 thousand dentists performed NHS activity during 2012/13, an increase of 281 (1.2 per cent) on 2011/12 and 3,041 (15.1 per cent) more than 2006/07. 3.4 per cent, the increase in the number of female dentists in the last year 45.4 per cent, the percentage of dentists who are female. This has risen from 38.8 per cent in 2006/07. Broken down by age group the under 35’s are the only group that show a higher proportion of females (56.1 per cent in 2012/13). 76.4 per cent of dentists who are aged 55 or over are male, 0.6 percentage points decrease from 2011/12.
There were 4,649 providing performer dentists. These dentists have a direct contractual relationship with the PCT, and make up 20.0 per cent of all dentists. This proportion has been decreasing in each year and compares to 2006/07 when 37.6 per cent of dentists were providing performers.The shift to a greater percentage of performer only dentists continues. In 2006/07, 62.4 per cent of dentists were performer only. By 2012/13 this percentage had increased to 80.0 per cent.
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