Pulse reports that the CQC is planning to overspend its staff budget for inspecting primary medical services by £700,000 in a last-ditch effort to hit its end-of-year target. Its The latest performance report says it will have to rely on additional ‘bank’ inspectors to carry out an outstanding 270 GP inspections and 250 dental practice inspections by the end of March.
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The British Dental Association (BDA) has announced it has helped, with other organisations, to secure an extension to the grace period for foundation dentists to formalise their inclusion in the National Performers List in England. This follows the well-publicised catalogue of mismanagement by NHS England’s contractor, Capita (operating as PCSE). All foundation dentists are required to be included in the list within three months of starting their training post (usually 30 November). In terms of the regulations, foundation dentists cannot work unless they are included in the list at that point.
Read more: BDA aids breakthrough on Performers List problems
As new statistics reveal a fall in prescribing of antibiotics by clinicians across all NHS healthcare settings, dentists’ leaders have called on colleagues to build on this success by using a new toolkit to support effective antimicrobial stewardship. The toolkit, which includes an easy self-audit tool and patient-facing posters and leaflets, was developed as a collaboration between Public Health England, FGDP(UK) and BDA
Read more: New antibiotic prescribing toolkit for dentists launched
The Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) says that a newly-published study underlines the need for stronger action to reduce the consumption of sugar from fizzy drinks.
Read more: Stronger action on fizzy drinks needed says FGDP(UK)
Soft drinks firms should not be able to claim sugary drinks are part of a balanced diet because most cans contain more sugar than a person's entire daily allowance, researchers have said. Also, yoghurt manufacturers should be shamed into taking some yoghurt pots off shelves and downsize others, the Daily Mail reports.
In a London Stock Market announcement, healthcare group BUPA has agreed to acquire Oasis Dental Care, the UK's leading private dental provider, from Bridgepoint, the European private equity group, in a transaction totalling £835 million. Bupa says the move is a significant milestone in its strategy to offer customers high quality dental services.
Thousands of children in Queensland, Australia are admitted to hospital every year with decayed teeth as councils stop putting fluoride in drinking water. “We’re spending a fortune on general anaesthetics for kids with dental decay, it’s stupid. Water fluoridation saves truckloads of money in saved dental costs,” Australian Dental Association's Michael Foley said.
Read more: Decay rates rise in Australia after fluoridation abandoned
The three winners of the Young Dentist Endodontic Award in 2016 have been described by the judges as rising stars of dentistry. Jasneet Gulati, David Bretton and Satnam Singh Virdee, all aged 26, impressed the judges with their committed, evidence-based approach to patient care.
A report by campaign group Action on Sugar highlights higher sugar levels in expensive products when compared with cheaper versions. The report found ASDA's Smart Price Vanilla Flavour Ice Cream contains 7.9g of sugar per 100g, 46pc less than Waitrose's Duchy Organic Vanilla Ice Cream, which contains 14.5g per 100g for example.
Read more: Many high-end products contain more sugar than cheaper versions