Leaked Corporate Memo: 'Target Checkups'
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- Published: Friday, 29 January 2021 14:27
- Written by Chris Tapper
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A BBC investigation into NHS dentistry during the COVID pandemic has revealed that a dental corporate has instructed staff to prioritise routine examinations over patients requiring urgent treatment.
The BBC was examining the impact of the controversial NHS targets imposed on dentists for the last quarter of the financial year.
In response to the revelations, following the leaking of a memo issued to the dental corporate’s staff, the British Dental Association has written an open letter to Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
The letter released today said “As you are no doubt aware staff at a leading dental corporate have been told by management to prioritise routine check-ups over patients requiring urgent care. We are not at all surprised by this story. During our negotiations with NHS England, we were clear on where the 45% activity targets would lead.”
The recent debate in the Commons regarding dentistry and COVID saw overwhelming support from backbench MP’s for reducing or eliminating the targets for fear that safety and patient care would be compromised as a result of dentists being under pressure to hit targets.
The letter, written by Shawn Charlwood, Chair of the BDA’s General Dental Practice Committee, goes on to say “The fault here lies squarely with the Government’s targets. Certainly, the chain will not be alone in taking this approach, given the ever-present threat of sanctions and chaos caused by patient cancellation and staff availability during the new lockdown. This is not a model of care we could ever deem acceptable, yet it is the inevitable logic of a policy imposed on NHS dentists across England.”
The letter pointed out that the Scottish Government delayed its plans to introduce revised targets until the early summer.
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