Shared from Dentistry.co.uk
The previous government’s proposed dental recovery plan has not been successful, NHS leaders have acknowledged.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) heard from senior government officials yesterday (13 February) on the progress of the plan which was released in February last year.
One of the plan’s measures, the ‘Golden hello’ incentive, aimed to encourage dentists to work in underserved areas for one-off payments of up to £20,000. Out of a target of 240 dentists, just 39 have have been appointed – the first of which was in October last year.
In addition, the introduction of mobile dental vans, another aspect of the plan, did not deliver any extra capacity.
Amanda Pritchard, NHS England chief executive, acknowledged that a recent report found the plan’s modelling and calculations to be flawed. She said: ‘What has become clear is that, in taking account of what the £200 million funding for the plan would buy, we have overstated the number of new patients that that would cover.’
This is despite consistent concerns since March last year from the health committee and the British Dental Association (BDA) on the plan’s modelling. However, Pritchard admitted that this ‘does not change the fact that it was not a successful plan’.
NHS leaders and MPs also recognised that the NHS dental contract was the fundamental issue, with both Pritchard and Whitty agreeing that it is not fit for purpose.
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, MP for North Cotswolds, suggested the best solution might be to rip up the existing contract and start again, which Pritchard agreed is ‘exactly what we’re going to need to do’. She added: ‘The right answer, I think, is to consider a much more radical reshaping of dentistry in this country because it feels to us that tweaking around the edges… you can see it has made some difference, but not enough.’
What did the dental recovery plan fail on?
Released last February by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government, the dental recovery plan aimed to tackle the ongoing NHS dental crisis. The new measures included:
NHS dentists will be given a ‘new patient’ payment of between £15 to £50 (depending on treatment need) to treat around a million new patients who have not seen an NHS dentist in two years or more
Around 240 dentists will be offered one-off payments of up to £20,000 for working in under-served areas for up to three years
A new ‘Smile for Life’ initiative, offering advice to parents and parents-to-be on the right care for baby gums and milk teeth
The minimum value of NHS activity increasing to £28 (from £23)
‘Dental vans’ sent to rural areas to help reach the most isolated communities
A water fluoridation programme to be rolled out by government (subject to consultation).
Professor Chris Whitty is the Department of Health and Social Care’s interim permanent secretary. When asked whether the plan was on track to deliver the previous government’s promises, he said: ‘The very short answer is no.
‘Within the dental recovery plan, there were four components, of which I think one didn’t start at all, which was on dental vans. There were three [additional] elements that were aiming to address recognised problems… but the solutions were unsuccessful.’
No talk of new investment
The BDA has stressed that the Treasury ‘appeared to be guiding’ each of the witnesses giving evidence to the PAC, stating that they ‘sidestepped any talk of new investment’.
Ali Sparke, NHS England director for pharmacy, optometry and dentistry, said: ‘There just isn’t enough dentistry commissioned full stop… we know there is only enough funding for 50% of the population.’
According to the BDA, the PAC inquiry came at a ‘crucial’ moment ahead of the upcoming spending review, which the professional body claims ‘will either save or sink NHS dentistry’.
Shiv Pabary, chair of the BDA’s general dental practice committee, said: ‘The people that could give NHS dentistry a future didn’t give evidence today, but their treasury talking points were there for all to hear.
‘Until the accountants step aside, health ministers and their most senior officials will not have the headroom to save this service. Government says it’s “going for growth”, but Treasury policy is doing the exact opposite for dental care.
‘The coming spending review will either sink or save NHS dentistry. Rachel Reeves doesn’t want to see her signature on the death warrant of a service millions depend on.’