Understanding NHS dentistry

  • L. D'Cruz,
  • R. Rattan &
  • M. Watson
UK: New Contract Help price £30.00, pp 167 ISBN 0951514539 | ISBN: 0-951-51453-9

This book has something for everyone, from the newly qualified associate to practice owners who carry out dentistry within the NHS. Each chapter ends with annexes or points to consider, making the contents relevant and applicable to everyday life. The transition from fee-per-item to UDAs and the abandonment of patient registration was a giant leap, and the accompanying rules and regulations require a completely new outlook on the way dentists practise. Local commissioning, for a set amount of work at pre-agreed remuneration, effectively caps dentists' fees. The PCT is now the customer, buying services off the dentists! Without a sound knowledge of these basic issues the working dentist or practice owner cannot make the most of the new contract.

Who can have a contract, and which type; practices of individual dentists? Which patients will you see, your regular ones or anyone that requests treatment? What services will you offer and which sort of treatment are you allowed to carry out. Will you provide specialist services? Do patients need to be dentally fit? Along with models for building protocols and guidelines for terminating and phasing treatment, these issues are covered.

Aside from the clinical aspect of dentistry, the importance of performance management, with particular reference to the use of IT, is emphasised. Explaining how contract values are calculated and the possible entitlement to maternity/paternity and long-term sick leave payments are examined. Complaints affect everyone in their practising lives. This publication provides an insight into the processes, including the bodies involved and possible outcomes.

The subjects of whether associates are, and will continue to be, self-employed and the implications of this for practice owners are raised. Payment models and associate contracts are issues that will affect many dentists; with the prospect of increasing numbers of more commercially minded corporate bodies, associates may wish to know this topic in more detail.

The ever-present issues of quality and clinical governance will not disappear, and may become more important in years to come. These, along with business considerations of running practices, are addressed in some detail.

The final chapters cover strategies to manage future change and how NHS dentistry may develop.

This book should be read by all that have interest in NHS dentistry. It should then be kept for reference as, with so much information included, continued reminders will be necessary.