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16/07/2004
Government announces overhaul of dental care
The Government has pledged to invest an extra £368m in NHS Dentistry in England in an attempt to improve public access to dental care.
The move, hailed as the biggest overhaul of the NHS Dentistry system since 1948, could see prices double in an attempt to lure more dentists back to the NHS sector. However, the new plans also include a cap on the most expensive treatments, which will see patients pay no more than £120.
The system of how dentists are paid will also be reformed, with dentists given a three-year income guarantee from April 2005, following the handover of dental service commissioning to primary care trusts. Practitioners will also be recruited from abroad, with the relaxation of rules regarding the registration of dentists from the EU who enter into practice in England.
The Government has also promised to fund more dental school training places, starting from October 2005.
It is hoped that the shake-up will improve the level of preventative care amongst children and adults in England – and banish the sight of hundreds of people queuing to register with an NHS practice.
Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats in 2002 suggested that 48% of people living in England were not registered with an NHS dentist, with rural areas showing the worst levels of access. Official figures released that same year also showed that four in ten dental practices were refusing to take on any new NHS patients.
Commenting on today's announcement, Dr John Renshaw, chair of the British Dental Association's Executive Board, said: "At long last the government has begun to take notice of the queues and the distress of the tens of thousands of people without access to an NHS dentist.
"It's not that dentists have been walking away from the NHS, more that the NHS has been walking away from dentistry. Today's announcement marks a positive first step on the long walk back."
(CL)
The move, hailed as the biggest overhaul of the NHS Dentistry system since 1948, could see prices double in an attempt to lure more dentists back to the NHS sector. However, the new plans also include a cap on the most expensive treatments, which will see patients pay no more than £120.
The system of how dentists are paid will also be reformed, with dentists given a three-year income guarantee from April 2005, following the handover of dental service commissioning to primary care trusts. Practitioners will also be recruited from abroad, with the relaxation of rules regarding the registration of dentists from the EU who enter into practice in England.
The Government has also promised to fund more dental school training places, starting from October 2005.
It is hoped that the shake-up will improve the level of preventative care amongst children and adults in England – and banish the sight of hundreds of people queuing to register with an NHS practice.
Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats in 2002 suggested that 48% of people living in England were not registered with an NHS dentist, with rural areas showing the worst levels of access. Official figures released that same year also showed that four in ten dental practices were refusing to take on any new NHS patients.
Commenting on today's announcement, Dr John Renshaw, chair of the British Dental Association's Executive Board, said: "At long last the government has begun to take notice of the queues and the distress of the tens of thousands of people without access to an NHS dentist.
"It's not that dentists have been walking away from the NHS, more that the NHS has been walking away from dentistry. Today's announcement marks a positive first step on the long walk back."
(CL)
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26 May 2004
Majority of dentists opposed to contract proposals: survey
Nearly 60% of high street dentists will either reduce their NHS commitment or quit the NHS altogether in protest at government proposals, according to new research from the British Dental Association (BDA).
Majority of dentists opposed to contract proposals: survey
Nearly 60% of high street dentists will either reduce their NHS commitment or quit the NHS altogether in protest at government proposals, according to new research from the British Dental Association (BDA).
07 October 2008
£11 Million Boost For Dental Hospitals
An extra £11 million will be allocated to dental hospitals across England to fund new IT systems that will support the training of dental students, the Department of Health announced today. Today's funding is part of a joint initiative by the Department of Health, NHS Connecting for Health and the Dental IT programme board.
£11 Million Boost For Dental Hospitals
An extra £11 million will be allocated to dental hospitals across England to fund new IT systems that will support the training of dental students, the Department of Health announced today. Today's funding is part of a joint initiative by the Department of Health, NHS Connecting for Health and the Dental IT programme board.
19 May 2005
Dental practises accused of failing patients
Almost half of NHS dental practises in England could not offer urgent NHS appointments to unregistered patients, a consumer survey has found. Almost half (49%) of those practises visited by consumer magazine Which? could not give appointments to unregistered patients, according to their survey.
Dental practises accused of failing patients
Almost half of NHS dental practises in England could not offer urgent NHS appointments to unregistered patients, a consumer survey has found. Almost half (49%) of those practises visited by consumer magazine Which? could not give appointments to unregistered patients, according to their survey.
23 September 2004
NHS recruitment drive to focus on over 50s
A new nationwide drive to recruit NHS staff, which will focus for the first time on the over 50s, has been was launched today. NHS Job Shop Day comprises of 220 events taking place around the country on or around 23 September. Around 150 Jobcentres across England will also be holding special NHS events on 23 September as part of NHS Job Shop Day.
NHS recruitment drive to focus on over 50s
A new nationwide drive to recruit NHS staff, which will focus for the first time on the over 50s, has been was launched today. NHS Job Shop Day comprises of 220 events taking place around the country on or around 23 September. Around 150 Jobcentres across England will also be holding special NHS events on 23 September as part of NHS Job Shop Day.
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