It was a turbulent week at the Labour Party Conference. Having swept to power with a majority of 174 seats over all the other parties, Keir Starmer‘s first conference as Prime Minister could, indeed ‘should‘ have been a victory celebration.
1 commentsRead more: Could Non-Doms Undermine Labour's Dental Appointments Plan?
Parliamentary dental questions tend to be on a limited range of subjects. Access problems, potential reforms and initiatives, and a certain amount of sectarian point scoring, are frequent topics.
A recent question in the Lords which is likely to have escaped the dental community‘s notice, broke new ground. It might also be revealing about a rapidly growing party‘s intentions for dentistry.
Read more: Odd Question in Lords' about Surgery Sundries Profits
As NHS dentistry fades away local government may start taking legal action against ICBs.
The Isle of Wight Council is threatening legal action over the Island‘s ‘grossly inadequate‘ NHS dental care provision. Following a vote at a recent Council meeting in Newport, the Council has said that it intends to hold the ICB to account for its responsibility in ensuring NHS dental services are provided to an adequate standard.
The Chief Executive of the General Dental Council (GDC) Tom Whiting has lent his support to the Association of Dental Group‘s (ADG) ‘Patients First‘ report.
The ADG is a trade association for dental groups with more than ten practices. Its report, launched on 11th September, contains seven recommendations which the group says would improve access to dental services.
Read more: GDC Boss Hails The Regulator's Progress On Access
Patients from Wales could receive NHS dental treatment in England, and vice-versa, under the UK and Welsh governments‘ joint plan to bring down waiting lists. That is if the proposal can survive party political point scoring.
When the last government were talking up their dental recovery plan, the Under-Secretary of State for Primary Care, Andrea Leadsom, said that it would make dentistry, “Faster, simpler and fairer.”
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When Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health & Social Care asked Lord Ara Darzi to undertake his far reaching Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England he asked the renowned cancer surgeon to make his report a ‘roadmap‘ for a Ten Year Plan which the Department aims to publish next spring.
Read more: Darzi Report: Urgent Action Required To Fix Dental Contract
One reason often offered to explain the dental access crisis, is that there are not enough dentists. There is a shortage in absolute numbers, and a shortage of dentists in the areas where their services are most needed. The theory goes that the majority of dental schools which are based in major cities, may attract students from rural areas, but they will frequently stay in or near to that city after qualifying