Following the publication last week of the team that will comprise Keir Starmer‘s Department of Health & Social Care, the individual ministerial responsibilities have now been assigned. Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock will be overseeing ‘primary care‘ which comprises the GP service, pharmacy, eye care and dentistry.
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“Are you spending a lot of your time taking copious notes and keeping records in meticulous and detail? [sic] Do you feel like your time would be better spent with your patients?”
Read more: The GDC and Record Keeping - Is Narrative Changing?
Healthwatch describe themselves as Health and Social Care Champions. To quote them: “We make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers hear your voice and feedback to improve care.” They have now published their latest position statement on NHS dentistry. .
Read more: Healthwatch Have Low Cost Ambitions for NHS Dentistry
Following the appointment of Wes Streeting as Secretary of State for Health & Social Care, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has signed off on the remaining members of the Health and Social Care team.
Read more: Starmer Concludes Health Team Ministerial Appointments
The GDC spend a good deal of time and registrants money on research and surveys. Some, such as the recent workforce activity surveys of dentists, and now DCP‘s, may seem to be outside their remit. Other efforts are closer to their core operations. The latest survey and analysis, sought to see what recent registrants thought of their regulator.
Read more: GDC Publish Further Research - Younger Professionals’ Viewpoints
Wes Streeting, the new Secretary of State for Health & Social Care today (Monday 8th July) honoured his promise, made before the general election, to meet with representatives of the British Dental Association (BDA) to discuss reforming the NHS dental contract.
Wes Streeting, now confirmed as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has kept his promise of offering the BDA an early meeting to discuss NHS dentistry. It is no secret that both parties see alternatives to the UDA contract as a means of improving the availability of NHS dentistry. But that alone will not be enough to “fix” things.
Read more: What Is Needed From The Health Secretary? Indemnifiers' View
Over recent years, the news and forum pages of GDPUK have chronicled the perilous state of NHS dentistry across many regions of the UK. Week in, week out, we’ve heard of practices returning their contracts, of patients resorting to going abroad, not for whitening and veneers, but for the ’basics’. Of practices closing because they can’t recruit the clinicians and staff they need. And in some cases, closing because their income simply does not cover their expenditure.
Read more: Not Just Dentistry: The Scale Of The Problem Confronting The New Government
If everything goes to plan for Wes Streeting, by Monday 8th July 2024 he will be Minister of State for Health and Social Care. It will be a busy day, but he has already spoken about one of the things on his ‘to do’ list: “So we’re going to have to negotiate a new dentistry contact. I’ve committed to getting the BDA in on the Monday after the general election if we win because I see it as that big a priority.”