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Sessional Urgent Dental Care Flexible Commissioning Data Tool: describing health outcomes through intelligent data

BDJ In Practice volume 37, pages 77–79 (2024)Cite this article

Simon Hearnshaw,*1 Charlotte Keeble,2 Paul Gray,3 Michael Duncan,4 Mark Murray,5 Monica Cox,6 Claire Robinson7and Adrian Moore8

For some time, NHS England (NHSE) commissioning areas have been exploring the role of flexible commissioning in meeting oral health challenges1 and delivering the aims of improving health outcomes, reducing inequalities, delivering quality of care and ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. Flexible commissioning is listed as a key NHSE national workstream priority.2 In most cases flexible commissioning models use contract metrics outside established activity-based systems. There is evidence that primary dental care is supportive of a move away from a purely activity-based system towards an outcomes-based system.3

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References

  1. Mustufvi Z, Barraclough O, Hearnshaw S et al. Flexible Commissioning: A prevention and access focused approach in Yorkshire and the Humber. BDJ In Pract 2020; 33: 20-22.

  2. NHS England. Dental commissioning and policy. Available online at: www.england.nhs.uk/primary-care/dentistry/dental-commissioning/ (accessed February 2024).

  3. Witton R, Plessas A, Wheat H et al. The future of dentistry post-COVID-19: perspectives from Urgent Dental Care centre staff in England. Br Dent J 2021; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-3405-1.

  4. Sparke A. Delegating commissioning functions to ICBs offers real opportunity to improve local health outcomes. 2023. Available online at: www.england.nhs.uk/blog/ https://www.england.nhs.uk/blog/delegating-commissioning-functions-to-icbs-offers-real-opportunity-to-improve-local-health-outcomes/ (accessed February 2024).

  5. NHS England. Opportunities for flexible commissioning in primary care dentistry: A framework for commissioners. Available online at: www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/opportunities-for-flexible-commissioning-in-primary-care-dentistry-a-framework-for-commissioners/ (accessed February 2024).

  6. General Dental Services Statement Of Financial Entitlements. Available online at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7ca46bed915d12ab4bc2a8/dh_4125633.pdf (accessed February 2024).

  7. NHS England. Data quality Improvement. Available online at: www.england.nhs.uk/data-services/validate/ (accessed February 2024).

  8. Serban S, Hall-Scullin E and Dailey Y. EquiDent - Developing a toolkit to support equitable commissioning of dental care services. BDJ In Pract 2023; 36: 24-27.

  9. NHS England. News release: Hundreds of thousands more dental appointments to help recovery of services. January 2022. Available online at: www.england.nhs.uk/2022/01/hundreds-of-thousands-more-dental-appointments-to-help-recovery-of-services/ (accessed February 2024).

  10. NHS Business Services Authority. NHSBSA data services. Available online at: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/dental-data (accessed January 2024).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NHS England WTE, Yorkshire, United Kingdom

    Simon Hearnshaw

  2. Director of Pharmacy, Optometry and Dentistry Delegated Commissioning, NHS Sussex, West Sussex, United Kingdom

    Charlotte Keeble

  3. Head of Dental Services & Clinical Policy, NHS Business Services Authority, London, United Kingdom

    Paul Gray

  4. Information Services Manager Dental and Optometry, NHS Business Services Authority, London, United Kingdom

    Michael Duncan

  5. Service Improvement Manager, NHS Business Services Authority, London, United Kingdom

    Mark Murray

  6. NHS Sussex, Sussex, United Kingdom

    Monica Cox & Adrian Moore

  7. Senior Manager, Primary Care Programmes (Pharmacy, Optometry & Dentistry), NHS Sussex, Sussex, United Kingdom

    Claire Robinson

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  1. Simon Hearnshaw
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  2. Charlotte Keeble
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  3. Paul Gray
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  4. Michael Duncan
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  5. Mark Murray
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  6. Monica Cox
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  7. Claire Robinson
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  8. Adrian Moore
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Correspondence to Simon Hearnshaw.

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Hearnshaw, S., Keeble, C., Gray, P. et al. Sessional Urgent Dental Care Flexible Commissioning Data Tool: describing health outcomes through intelligent data. BDJ In Pract 37, 77–79 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41404-024-2634-9

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