NHS Dentists Have Lost 40% In Earnings In 10 Years.
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- Published: Friday, 20 August 2021 09:39
- Written by Chris Tapper
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NHS dentists in general practice have effectively endured a 40% cut in earnings over the last decade.
The figure arises from an analysis of NHS Digital’s newly-released Dental Earnings and Expenses Estimates for 2019/20 by the British Dental Association.
The BDA claims that England dentists working in the General Dental Service have “Seen taxable income fall by nearly 40% in real terms over the last decade,” the BDA News website reported.
BDA News said “The story is replicated across the UK nations, with real terms falls in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland of well over a third since 2009.”
Interestingly, GDPUK noted that NHS Digital excluded from the report, dentists with no self-employment income – ostensibly an acceptance by the NHS that it regards associates as not being employed.
A judge in a recent High Court case involving Dr Raj Rattan of Dental Protection held that NHS dental associates were ‘akin’ to employees under the terms of current NHS GDS contracts, despite the long-established practice of associates retaining their independence in clinical decisions and their own tax affairs.
The BDA says the new figures for 2019/20 capture the period just before the first lockdown, adding “Above-inflation uplifts have remained the exception rather than the rule since the financial crash, with across-the-board cuts in pay in both cash and real terms.”
The BDA emphasised that unlike general medical practitioners, “NHS dentists do not typically receive any capital investment from central government, with profits funding all improvements in equipment, training and facilities for NHS practices.”
“While devolved governments have provided millions to invest in new ventilation systems, to help increase patient numbers while maintaining strict infection prevention control measures, there have been no parallel commitments from Westminster.”
“Practices are also facing mounting costs for clinical waste and essential equipment, without comprehensive support.”
The BDA warned that “Continued pay restraint will only accelerate the drift away from NHS dentistry.”
A recent survey had indicated that nearly half (47%) of dentists in England feel they are now likely to change career or seek early retirement in the next 12 months should current COVID restrictions remain in place.
“The same proportion state they are likely to reduce their NHS commitment,” BDA news said.
The @DentistGoneBadd account on Twitter carried out a survey recently on the social media platform and at the time of writing, an overwhelming proportion (over 70%) of participants said they could not see themselves still working in the NHS in 5 year’s-time.
With all the talk of vicarious liability and its close relationship with the NHS contract on top of all the other problems associated with the GDS, NHS practices seem (from the outside, at least), to be living on the edge.
— Ex-StandardDentistGoneBadd (@DentistGoneBadd) August 19, 2021
Do you think you’ll still be in the NHS in 5 year’s time?
Dr Shawn Charlwood, Chair of the BDA’s General Dental Practice Committee told the BDA website “This lost decade on pay will inevitably undermine NHS dentistry’s recovery.”
“Government has taken the ‘do more with less’ mantra to the nth degree. Every penny of investment in this service comes from dentists’ own pockets. This historic squeeze has left practices unable to deliver needed improvements in facilities, equipment, and training, even before the added costs of COVID arrived.”
“The pandemic has exposed the rotten foundations this service is built on, with failed systems and underinvestment leaving millions unable to secure the care they need.”
“Dentists need to see this service as a place they’d chose to build a career. From discredited contracts to flat lining pay, no one should be penalised for working in the NHS.”
NHS Digital’s report can be found here.
The NHS Digital report was released as the Welsh Government announced to practitioners a few days earlier, that there would be a full 3% GDS contract uplift for 2021/22.
A letter circulated to GDS practices said “Therefore, recognising the ongoing commitment and hard work of dental practitioners and all practice staff in the delivery of dental services, the Minister for Health and Social Services has agreed an additional £1.9m special investment on top of the pay uplift element of 3% in order to ensure GDS contracts are uplifted by a full 3% in 2021-22.”
The letter, signed by Alex Slade, Deputy Director Primary Care Division Welsh Government and Russell Gidney, Chair of the Welsh General Dental Practitioners Committee of BDA Wales made it clear that practice owners were expected to pass on the increase, to staff members.
“In agreeing this investment, and in recognition of the vital role of the wider workforce in the ongoing delivery of general dental services, we share the Minister’s expectation that the 3% GDS contract uplift is passed on in terms of the pay increases for dental teams contracted or employed in delivering NHS dental services,” the letter said.
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