Dorset LDC AGM 2012 General Dental Practitioners’ Committee Paul Kelly

What is GDPC? The General Dental Practice Committee (GDPC) was established in January 2003 and aims to reflect the mixed economy of general dental practice. It represents the interests, and acts on behalf of, dentists working in general practice. It is also recognised by the the Government as representing NHS general dental practitioners. The committee's purpose is to: Represent and promote the interests of dentists in ALL types of general practice and improve communication between them, enabling coherent policies to be developed and promoted on behalf of the profession. Make possible rapid, efficient and representative responses to consultation from Government and other organisations. Unite general dental practitioners and ensure their independence. Ensure that appropriate services are developed for general dental practitioners

Who am I?

New NHS structure New NHS structure All PCTs now clustered NHSNCB (National Commissioning Board) is live Health and Wellbeing Boards are present (based at Local Authorities) The application of Monitor to dentistry is being resisted Local HealthWatch (developed from Link) will feed via National HealthWatch to the CQC

Likely flow of information. Simplified. National Commissioning Board Field Force (of the NCB) LDC Dental Local Professional Network Health and Wellbeing Board Public Health England Health Education England

LPNs Local Professional Networks Comprise primary, secondary care, public health, public voice and others in one group DH has stated that LPNs may become the “commissioning vehicle” of the National Commissioning Board Will also have a role in strategy and performance management Provide input to Health and Wellbeing Board for JSNA. NB. JSNA will be taken into account by National Commissioning Board DH documents state input from LDCs – helping to secure their role Concerns over representation of members of LPNs, scrutiny and accountability

CQC Criticised by Health Committee, National Audit Office Discounted rate for multiple locations Stated prepared to listen more Need standardised inspection protocol Variable quality of assessments

New New Contract Anticipated roll out 2015 (???) Approx 70 pilots running Concerns re. time taken for OHA ( ?20 mins+) Concerns re. increased patient waiting times Concerns over independent evaluation of pilots Concerns restrictive nature RAG scoring/pathways/ “computer says no” No progress on new patient charge mechanism Funding for mandatory IT

GDC CHRE report (2011)pointed out failures New Chair – Professor Kevin O’Brien New FTP pathway – filtering cases at early stage Will be reducing from 24 to possibly 8 members Guidance documents to be rewritten Illegal dentistry – frustrating progress (despite 2011 EU restrictions for 0.1 and 6% hydrogen peroxide) Late payment of ARF – no progress Revalidation – progress under way (“Enabling Excellence” White Paper forced a review of Evidence Base). Likely at least 2015 New CPD framework to be developed Quality Assurance for dental nurse training – impact on courses

NHS Choices NHS Choices Concern re anonymous complaints on NHS Choices website Concern that these cannot be removed Concern that practices haven’t been given the facility to change their core data when they need to Small number of comments is no valid indicator of practice quality Undermines complaints procedures

Seniority Pay Seniority Pay If you reach 55 after 31 March 2011 you will not get it DH tells us that it contravenes the Equality Act 2010

OFT investigation Office of Fair Trading – NHS and Private Looking at how the “dental market” (their words) operates (Information, barriers to entry to dentistry, barriers to entry to NHS market, competition, ability to switch, complaints mechanisms)) Response - Healthcare cannot be commodified Response – “switching” is not necessarily to be encouraged like gas supplier Have the corporates been a trigger for this? Also looking at “direct access” – visiting a DCP without a dentist first (GDC position on this has been unclear) How much is a planned service a market anyway?

(Some)Other Issues Revised HTM FD/VT recruitment process Remuneration/ resisting demands for efficiency savings Incorporation Protection on death of a contractor Unchanged contract value moving from PDS to GDS Clarification over force majeure Clarification over advanced mandatory services Review of the Dental Workforce – commissioned by DH and done by Centre for Workforce Intelligence

Our sponsored walk The Two Moors Way. Across both Exmoor and Dartmoor. 102 miles Aims: 1.raise money for Mouth Cancer Foundation. 2. raise public awareness of oral cancer.