The Healthcare Confidence Index

Are dentists’ beginning to gain confidence over the longer term, asks Ian Crompton, Head of Healthcare Banking Services at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking:

“The latest wave of our twice-annual Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking Healthcare Confidence Index revealed that dentists lacked confidence in the future business prospects of their profession when looking ahead over the next five years, despite being more positive over their immediate futures.

“The survey suggested that short term optimism had risen amongst dentists since last year, with an improvement in positive sentiment from a net balance of nine to eighteen, while long term confidence had dipped from a net balance of -60 to -77*.

“Despite an overall rise in business confidence, increased financial pressures look set to impact on the dental sector, with 93 per cent (compared to 77 per cent in 2012) of practitioners saying that they expect to see these concerns increase in the next five years.”

First published in August 2011, The Healthcare Confidence Index is now in its fifth wave and aims to provide an insight into the attitudes and opinions of primary healthcare providers; GPs, Dentists and Pharmacists, over the next one to five years. To complete the survey, go to www.healthcareconfidenceindex.co.uk

Ian Crompton continues:

“Last year we thought it was encouraging to see overall confidence returning to the dentistry sector, but it seems that this positive momentum has continued if we are only talking about 2013. If you look ahead to 2018, confidence levels are lower amongst NHS dentists – most likely as a result of uncertainties over the new contract. Whilst this uncertainty may lead to a lack of investment in the short term, this is likely to recover once there is clarity regarding the contract, thereby improving confidence over the longer term.

“At Lloyds Bank, we have a successful history of advising and supporting businesses in the healthcare sector, in a range of disciplines. Our team of relationship managers has a strong knowledge and sound understanding of the challenges facing these businesses and we are determined to ensure that they remain financially fit for the future.

“The Healthcare Confidence Index provides us with valuable insight into the sentiment of primary healthcare providers right across the UK, and we’re keen to secure the opinions of as many contributors as possible”.

www.healthcareconfidenceindex.co.uk

November 2013

Issued on behalf of Lloyds TSB Commercial Banking by Citypress

More information: Katie Dale on 0121 314 4192 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

*The Lloyds TSB Commercial Banking Healthcare Confidence Index is a dispersement index, so any figure greater than zero represents a positive outlook. The maximum value achievable is +100, the minimum -100.