Dorset LDC AGM 2012General 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 structureAll PCTs now clustered NHSNCB (National Commissioning
Board) is liveHealth and Wellbeing Boards are
present (based at Local Authorities)The application of Monitor to
dentistry is being resistedLocal 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)
LDCDental 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
CQCCriticised by Health Committee,
National Audit OfficeDiscounted rate for multiple
locationsStated prepared to listen moreNeed standardised inspection
protocolVariable quality of assessments
New New ContractAnticipated roll out 2015 (???)Approx 70 pilots runningConcerns re. time taken for OHA ( ?20
mins+)Concerns re. increased patient waiting timesConcerns over independent evaluation of
pilotsConcerns restrictive nature RAG
scoring/pathways/ “computer says no”No progress on new patient charge
mechanismFunding 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
Concern re anonymous complaints on NHS Choices website
Concern that these cannot be removedConcern 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
If you reach 55 after 31 March 2011 you will not get itDH 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 IssuesRevised HTM 01-05FD/VT recruitment processRemuneration/ resisting demands for efficiency
savings IncorporationProtection on death of a contractorUnchanged contract value moving from PDS to
GDS Clarification over force majeureClarification over advanced mandatory servicesReview 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 milesAims: 1.raise money for Mouth Cancer Foundation. 2. raise public awareness of oral cancer.