Im rather concerned that very profound changes to the way NHS dentists work that are due to start in April next year are not yet being aired or discussed in public.

So quietly are these details being introduced that so far even the majority of dentists themselves have not realised just how much things are due to change.

The new contract seems pretty unappealing to dentists, in particular those dentists who are already mostly private but have managed to keep children, and those patients on certain benefits, in the NHS. They are going to find they are under real pressure to either become totally private or go back to being totally NHS. Which way do you suppose many of them will go?

For those dentists who remain in the NHS. Registrations will end in April. No one will be registered with an NHS dentist anymore anywhere in the country. The new contract appears to say that anyone can go to any NHS dentist and ask to be seen. Or can ring their local health authority and ask to be allocated an NHS dentist. The dentist can not refuse to see you unless they are full to capacity. But it is unclear if it is the dentist or the health authority who decides this.

This may result in rather long waiting times to actually be seen, and you may not be given priority even if you have been a registered patient there for a long time.

The draft contract is posted on the Department of Healths web site.

It is complicated and long but I really think, Dentists, The Public, and The Press ought to be mulling it over now rather than when it has already been introduced.


Robin

Ahhh, 160 views but no discussion :confused:

Perhaps a bit more detail is in order.

Firstly, I am one of those dentists who although mostly private, has chosen to keep children, house-bound elderly, and people claiming benefits within the NHS. It seems very clear that I would no longer be allowed to work this way from next April.

It would be very unpleasant to try to go back to being all NHS again and frankly very risky financially as well. Sadly this means the aproximately 950 patients I currently see in Stocksbridge and Deepcar under the NHS will soon have to either become private patients or seek another NHS dentist. And it was already difficult to do that.

About half of these patients I will be able to see at their next checkups and explain what is happening in person. Sadly, because I have had such short notice about the content of this new contract I wont have time to do this with the other half but have had to inform them by post. If I kept working normally right up to April the sudden cut off of NHS income would be a disaster for the practice.

I fear that I wont be the only dentist put into this position and that these patients wont be the only ones affected in the same way.

Robin

You're not painting a great picture of the NHS when it comes to next year Robin! :D <- (look at my great teeth - sorry!lol)

Obvioulsy not being a dentist I am unsure how payments work with the NHS although the way you explain the new system (unless i read incorrectly) appears all NHS dentists will be become first come, first serve. Therefore i'm sure the NHS dentist will have much custom but yet you state that it is a risk financially which would indicate that the NHS charges are not sufficient (i've not a clue on how much it is at the mo as not been in years!)

Regardless, i would suggest something needs to change as a whole as i cant find anywhere to register my new baby in a NHS dentist. Then there's the infamous reports of massive queues of people waiting to register for a NHS dentist.

I have also heard of the fact that the changes have been kept quiet. Being a dentist Robin and with your experience how would you move it forward?

BTW, welcome to the forum

I'm not sure I fully understand what the changes would be but I suppose you can't blame dentists for choosing to stick with solely private patients as obviously they will earn more money that way. However, what about all the people, like me, who can't afford private dental work (I've got problem teeth), but are not on benefits (as most of the people at the surgery I go to seem to be). I sometimes think I would be much better off giving up working and claiming as many benefits as I can (my morals wouldn't let me do this though).

This system is a mess - I have no idea what the answer is unfortunately.

well the changes what are planned better be better than the ones they have at present i always thought the nhs was good but my experinces of it this morning prove it is not

if you are trying to get dental treatment on the nhs and currently have no dentist i wish you the best of luck because your gonna need it

:(

i cant find a local denist for my hubby hes been under charles cliffords for years but i have tried to get him into my denist (which myself and our 2 kids use)not a chance totally unfair so when he has a check up he has to loose a days pay!!as he doesnt work local and appointments are in working hours.............

i was at charles clifford this morning and because my face isnt swolen enough i must wait for an appoitment there (wait for this) the 10th of october

now i know the nhs is royally ****ed:rant:

Originally posted by julie23
hes been under charles cliffords for years ............

Some people get all the luck.............:clap: :clap: :clap:

Well, unfortunately for me i have to wait 4 weeks whilst i look like a freak, with no front teeth or very little stumps front teeth- dont ask!

youwhatref - Nothing to gain now from registering your baby as registrations will all end in April. Technically you will at that time be able to contact any NHS dentist and ask for you and the baby to be seen on the NHS, or contact your local health authority and ask to be designated a dentist. It is uncertain though how far you would have to travel, or how long you would have to wait to be seen.

Nicola27 - Many people could be fully or partially claiming help with NHS treatment even though they dont get it automatically, or are in work. If you have not already tried, send an HC1 form off which you should be able to get from a dentist, optician or pharmacy.


Robin

I am one of the very lucky ones to be registered with a dentist.

Does the changes mean that in April I need to re-register with my dentist, or that your not allowed to register fullstop?

Being a 'bit' phobic of dentists :help: (nothing personal) :thumbsup: I would dread having to see someone new.. especially the charles clifford bunch after having some nasty experiences there.

Keryn
p.s. thanks for alerting us to this, I wouldn't have known I needed to discuss it with my dentist at all if it wasn't for this post. :(

Dawnsong, you wont be able to register fullstop. Your dentist may try to help you to keep up regular visits by continuing to send you reminder letters. But if he is swamped by new patients, many of whom may need more work than patients he has been keeping an eye on regularly; then your visits may not be as frequent as they were.

Once a dentist has completed his agreed number of UDAs ( Units of Dental Activity ) for the year he wont be able to see any more NHS patients that year unless he can negotiate to do so with his health authority.

By all means contact your dentist and ask what their intentions are for next year. Unfortunately it still seems that the majority of dentists have not yet realised the details of this new contract, so they may not know what your talking about until they do some research of their own.

Robin

My dentist went private in July this year - all we pay is a annual registration fee of about £32.50 this covers me and all my children!

I was very surprised and disappointed with this charge when it first materialised as I felt 'forced' into paying it as the option of finding another NHS dentist would prove difficult.

However, I have been pleasantly surprised.

I got an immediate appointment for all my 3 children to have their check ups together during the school holidays. My eldest needed some further treatment which was immediately arranged for the following week at a time convenient to me.

My past experiences when this practice was NHS was appointments sometimes 6 weeks after my initial request and sometimes the same length of time until any identifed treatment required could be arranged.

Providing the yearly registration fees don't increase dramatically I am more than happy to pay the annual fee for a higher standard of service and access to immediate appointments!

:thumbsup: