Friday 19 February 2021
17:42
England: PPE reimbursement window closes tomorrow
Have you got your PPE reimbursement claim in? The window for NHS practices in England to claim for PPE reimbursement closes tomorrow, Saturday 19 February 2021. According to the guidance, no further claims will be accepted after this date.
All claims must be for COVID-19 PPE used in the provision of NHS dental services between 27 February and 31 December 2020. You can submit your claims via the
PPE Reimbursement Claim Form in Compass.
More information on
PPE reimbursement claims.
15:57
Northern Ireland: DOH announces £1.5m ventilation grant
The Department of Health has announced a
£1.5 million GDS grant for ventilation expenses to help improve patient throughput at dental surgeries. This follows a bid, based on our collated evidence, to the Department of Finance to use a proportion of unspent COVID funding.
Dental practice ventilation has been one of the key barriers to increasing patient throughput during this pandemic and we welcome both the Department of Health's willingness to listen to our concerns and the expediency with which it secured this additional funding.
We will be working with the Department in the coming months to address other issues such as PPE funding and the physically exhausting experience of wearing Level 2 PPE for extended periods.
General Dental Practices will be notified directly about the new grant scheme from the Health and Social Care Board in the coming days.
13:05
Northern Ireland: Our case for ventilation funding
Last week, we issued an urgent appeal for details on how much money dental practices have already spent, or were planning to spend, on upgraded ventilation. The data received reinforced our argument that the required level of spend by practices is impossible to absorb in this climate. We need commitment and assistance from the NI Executive.
Over 102 dental practices – nearly 30% of all NI dental practices - responded to our appeal, reaching a collective estimate of £2 million spend on ventilation upgrades in 2020/21.
In a welcome move, the Department has confirmed that it will be use the details you supplied to support a bid to the Department of Finance to use a proportion of unspent COVID funding to reimburse dental practices for newly installed ventilation.
12:55
England: Additional side agreement for Associates
We have created two side agreements for Associates in England in regard to the Quarter 4 targets.
The difference between the contracts rests on whether or not Associates are paid at a higher or lower rate. There is more detail provided in the video below.
Our original side agreement, (titled version 1), assumes the Associate being is paid at a lower rate, with a possible uplift when the practice hits its target. Whereas the new contract (titled version 2), takes the alternate view and assumes the Associate is being paid at a higher rate, with possible clawback if the practice does not hit its target.
Do watch our video which will help to clarify the difference between these contracts. You can also download the appropriate contract below:
08:58
Wales: Final year students likely to graduate this year
The Chief Dental Officer for Wales has assured us that everything possible is being done to facilitate final year dental students to graduate this year.
In a
letter written yesterday, she points to assurances from Prof Nicola Innes, Head of Cardiff Dental School, that she and the team at the school are doing all they can to ensure as many of the Final Year Students as possible will reach the standard of safe beginner this year.
This will likely require extra clinical patient treatment sessions outside of traditional teaching times. However, it is encouraging news and a welcome effort for the students involved and DFTs. We will continue to speak up on behalf of dental students in Wales and update you when we have more information.
Thursday 18 February 2021
17:55
Wales: Financial support for NHS practices in quarter one and two
Today, the Chief Dental Officer for Wales has set out the requirements and expectations for the continuing financial support for NHS dental contract holders in quarter one and two of the new financial year beginning 1 April running through to 30 September 2021.
The
CDO's letter makes clear that UDAs and UOAs continue to be suspended as activity or performance measures. Dr Bridgman has confirmed the ongoing development of
alternative measures that include completion of ACORNs and fluoride varnish treatments. There is also an expectation that a small number of new patients will be seen in addition to practices' regular patients in order to continue improving access for those with urgent dental needs who are not with an NHS dentist currently.
Contract Reform remains on hold for now while the
pandemic conditions cause too much uncertainty. It's clear, however, that the CDO wishes to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to NHS contracting, which we support in principle. NHS BSA are working on producing a baseline of your practice's past preventive care, treatment activities and access: Providers are reminded to register for e-Den on the
NHSBSA website.
We will continue to be your voice during the ongoing recovery period and into the restart of contract reform when we will be consulting with dentists about the future of the NHS GDS contract.
16:03
England: PPE reimbursement window closes on Saturday
Have you got your PPE reimbursement claim in? The window for NHS practices in England to claim for PPE reimbursement closes this Saturday. According to the guidance, no further claims will be accepted after this date.
All claims must be for COVID-19 PPE used in the provision of NHS dental services between 27 February and 31 December 2020. You can submit your claims via the
PPE Reimbursement Claim Form in Compass.
More information on PPE reimbursement claims.
14:00
Northern Ireland: Erosion of GDS earnings laid bare
This week the Business Services Organisation (BSO) published a new
report analysing GDS payment between 2011/12 and 2018/19. It shows that there was a real-terms decline of 11.4 % in average GDS Health Service earnings per day between 2011/12 and 2018/19.
Jointly compiled by BSO, Health and Social Care Board, the Department of Health and BDA, this report makes clear that there has been a significant real-terms erosion of GDS earnings, which cannot be explained by changes in GDP working patterns.
Read the report's key findings.
12:32
Northern Ireland: Supporting our students
It’s a tough time to be a dental student, and this week’s announcement that dental students in Scotland will have to repeat a year is a stark reminder of the difficulties training during a pandemic.
In a recent blog, Tristen Kelso reflects on the efforts being made to support dental students at this difficult and uncertain time:
"At present, Queen’s are looking at an August completion at earliest for fifth years, but this is by no means certain, and may be subject to further extension. It is in this context that Peter Crooks, Vice-Chair of the BDA and myself, as Northern Ireland Director, met on Wednesday with Chris Irwin, Dean of the Dental School at Queen’s, to discuss student issues."
11:01
Lunchtime webinar on Practitioner Health support services
Register today for our lunchtime webinar on Friday 26 March at 12:30 - 13:30 to
improve your awareness of mental health and bereavement support available to dentists and trainees.
This will be a live interview-style webinar session with Professor Dame Clare Gerada, Medical Director of Practitioner Health, and Roz McMullan, Past BDA President and advocate for wellbeing in dentistry.
It will cover what you need to know about:
- Practitioner Health’s self-referral support service for mental health issues
- How to support your team to know that it’s okay to not be okay, and to seek professional help
- The other wellbeing and prevention resources available to you.
08:41
England: What the white paper means for dentistry
The white paper recently launched by Health Secretary Matt Hancock spells fundamental change in the way healthcare works in England. New laws are set to reach the statute books in 2022, and change will not be limited to the NHS.
Indeed, the results will likely be felt by dental colleagues across NHS and private services, in high street, community and hospital settings. And while technically England-only, the policies set out are likely to influence the direction of travel in other UK nations.
Today, BDA Chair Eddie Crouch tells us what you need to know about how these reforms could impact the future of dental care.
Wednesday 17 February 2021
15:25
Wales: Frequently asked questions updated
Our team in Wales are campaigning hard on your behalf. We're also advising members in Wales on a daily basis.
To further support you, we have also pulled together, some of the answers to
your most frequently asked questions on contract payments, ventilation funding and inspections.
- What is the latest on NHS GDS contract payments?
- How do I apply for ventilation funding?
- Are dental practice inspections on hold?
14:45
Seeing patients without face coverings
The safety of both staff and patients is of paramount importance and face coverings or face masks should be worn by patients in a practice setting, in line with government guidance. However, a patient should not be refused access to care if they are unable to wear a face covering.
For these patients, practices should ensure that they can take all reasonable steps to identify practical working solutions with the least risk to all involved. For example: offering the patient a mask, if the patient is willing to wear one; booking the patient into a quieter appointment slot; seeing them in a separated area, or providing care via a remote appointment.
If a patient is deaf or has hearing loss, you are advised to temporarily lower your face covering while maintaining social distancing. These patients should not be turned away and this is the safest way to communicate with someone who relies on lip-reading or facial expressions.
11:30
Discussing vaccination with your team
We suggest that practices discuss the vaccination with all members of the dental team. The University of Bristol has produced a helpful
Communications Handbook on this. It's important that concerns about the vaccine are discussed in good time and sensitively.
The vaccine is important in our fight against coronavirus, but practices should be aware that they cannot insist that staff have the vaccine when it is offered. If, after a discussion, a member of the dental team refuses to have the vaccine, the practice must accept that decision.
In any event, practices should ensure that all members of the dental team continue to adhere to the standard operating procedures and to practice policies and procedures. The situation is no different for associates. For more information on vaccination, pregnancy and the dental team see our
FAQs.
10:09
Webinar: Building stress resilience
Building stress resilience may help you to tackle personal and professional challenges. So, we invite you to login in to watch our new webinar on building stress resilience. Recently recorded, it's free to members and just £30 to DCPs. It will enable you to have a better understanding of your optimum stress level and learn practical coping strategies to help improve resilience.
Watch anytime: Building stress resilience
Or access
Health Assured, our comprehensive confidential service designed to help members to deal with problems that might be affecting you. For non-members meanwhile, we have listed the
different services available to dentists across the country.
Tuesday 16 February 2021
17:08
England: CQC registration delays
The CQC has responded to the concerns we raised regarding the delays in registration, apologising and saying that it is not reflective of the level of service that they aspire to deliver. They are prioritising the most urgent cases which “support the systems response to COVID-19” and have promised to look into ways to ensure they minimise any future delays to the registration processes.
BDA Chair Eddie Crouch recently wrote to Ian Trenholm, the Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission to raise members' concerns regarding these delays. We will keep a close eye to ascertain whether the improvements happen and ask members to alert us if the changes do not materialise.
13:06
Scotland: Lateral Flow Testing extended to dental teams
The Scottish Government has
extended twice-weekly Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing to all patient-facing healthcare workers, including dentists and their teams. We have been pressing the government to introduce this for dental teams since last summer.
The guidance was accompanied by a
Standard Operating Procedure and a
Frequently Asked Questions document.
Participation in the testing programme is voluntary. Staff will be able to test themselves at home or in the workplace twice a week. The tests can be self-administered using only nasal swabbing, which takes approximately five minutes to complete, and results are available in 30 minutes.
11:11
Scotland: Clarity urgently sought on behalf of Scottish dental students
We are seeking urgent clarification from the Scottish Government, following news that final year students at Aberdeen have been told they will not be eligible for financial support after delays to their graduation.
On Friday, Ministers announced a support package with a bursary of up to £6,750. However, Aberdeen finalists, who are not expected to see their graduation extended by a full year have been informed by university staff they will not qualify for this support.
An
open letter has been issued to Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport Jeane Freeman, and Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills John Swinney. There also remain questions over the status of English, Welsh, Northern Irish and overseas students studying at Scottish dental schools. We will continue to push for clarity on your behalf.
David McColl, Chair of our Scottish Dental Practice Committee said:
"We are deeply disturbed by reports that final year students at Aberdeen have been told they will not qualify for government support, by virtue of the fact their extension will not cover a full 12 months. We hope this is an administrative oversight that will be immediately rectified. If it is not it will signal a two-tier approach that will protect some students from a mountain of debt, but not others... What every final year student now requires is certainty and support."
10:32
Scotland: Ministerial response to students' concerns
We have
received a reply from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills in Scotland to our
open letter to him and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport on 2 February.
This follows our campaigning on behalf of dental students and comes after Friday’s announcement about the extension to dental courses and vocational training. We are continuing to campaign on your behalf and are compiling a list of your queries to seek clarification from Government.
09:04
Vaccination and the dental team
Dental teams around the country have been urged to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at the earliest possible opportunity.
Our
FAQs may help answer your questions about COVID-19 and vaccination:
- How can I access the COVID-19 vaccine?
- If I'm vaccinated, is full PPE essential?
- Is the COVID-19 vaccination mandatory?
- What if I'm pregnant?
Monday 15 February 2021
15:52
England: Additional side agreement for Associates
We have created two side agreements for Associates in England in regard to the Quarter 4 targets.
The difference between the contracts rests on whether or not Associates are paid at a higher or lower rate. There is more detail provided in the video below.
Our original side agreement, (titled version 1), assumes the Associate being is paid at a lower rate, with a possible uplift when the practice hits its target. Whereas the new contract (titled version 2), takes the alternate view and assumes the Associate is being paid at a higher rate, with possible clawback if the practice does not hit its target.
Do watch our video which will help to clarify the difference between these contracts. You can also download the appropriate contract below:
15:45
Top tips for DCT interviews
Part of COVID-19's impact on Dental Core Training (DCT) has been to make all interviews for National Recruitment virtual for the first time ever. This is a whole new format and it is difficult to predict exactly how they will be conducted and assessed. Thankfully, we can assume that many of the same qualities and skills will still be tested. And although the process may be daunting, you're not alone in preparing for this.
In a recent blog, Anurag Srinivas compiled some top tips for DCT interviews. This may help give you a good starting point and a bit more confidence as you prepare for this virtual interview.
14:55
Have you ever worked as a prison dentist?
After five years of campaigning on behalf of prison dentists, we are now happy to confirm that
prison dentists are no longer excluded from the NHS pensions scheme. If you have ever worked as a prison dentist, you may have been incorrectly excluded from the NHS pensions scheme. Your contributions can now be included retrospectively.
For advice on what this change might mean for you members can login to access our
prison pensions FAQs
or get in touch with our team on
prisonpensions@bda.org. Non-members can
join today to access our FAQs or reach out to the NHS BSA for more information.
14:45
England: PPE reimbursement until 20 February 2021
The window for NHS practices in England to claim for PPE reimbursement closes this month. It is accessible until 20 February 2021. According to the guidance, no further claims will be accepted after this date.
All claims must be for COVID-19 PPE used in the provision of NHS dental services between 27 February and 31 December 2020. You can submit your claims via the
PPE Reimbursement Claim Form in Compass.
More information on PPE reimbursement claims.
09:33
England: Q4 NHS contract reminder
As we reach the halfway point for quarter four of the financial year, we’re taking the chance to remind practices about the terms that NHS England has imposed in relation to contractual performance.
Practices will need to deliver 45% of pro-rata UDAs for the quarter to achieve 100% of contract value, minus an abatement to account for variable costs not incurred. If practices can deliver between 36% and 45% of pro-rata UDAs, a proportionate enhanced rate of payment is made.
Dropping below 36% of delivery means UDAs paid on a one-to-one basis, representing a significant cliff edge, unless exceptional circumstances can be argued. Some practices will also need to be conscious of what happens if they are able to deliver more than 45% of UDAs.
For contractors reaching 45% of activity in the quarter, over-performance of up to 2% can as usual be recognised. The commissioner may pay for the additional activity or it can be credited to the following contract year. If carried forward, it reduces the contractual requirement in 2021/22. A carry over of 4% of activity may also be allowed in specific circumstances agreed with the commissioner.
Once the 45% target has been reached, UDAs will once again be counted at standard rates. So, the enhanced allocation allowed between 36% and 45% of delivery no longer applies. Effectively, 2% over-performance on the annual contract represents 8% of UDAs for the quarter. A practice will breach the 102% threshold once it reaches 53% of UDAs for the quarter, assuming it has fulfilled all relevant requirements in the first three quarters of the year. To reach the 104% annual threshold, a practice needs to deliver 61% of UDAs in the final quarter (45% plus the 16% which is 4% of the annual contract delivered pro-rata). As usual, any UDAs in addition to agreed over-performance will not be paid.
