Thursday 23 December 2021
17:00
Opening hours during Christmas and the new year
Our offices are now closed until 08:30 on Tuesday 4 January 2022 (Wednesday 5 January in Scotland).
To assist you during this time,
our Frequently Asked Questions have been updated with the latest information on COVID-19 and NHS England contracts. If you need to contact us during the holidays for:
Indemnity support
Policyholders should email
cases@bda.org or call 020 7535 5858 for assistance. The phone line is open 24 hours a day except Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If you would like to switch to BDA Indemnity,
please get a quote. If you are applying to formally switch over the Christmas period, please continue and we will be in touch to process your application.
Member advice
If you require advice, please email
advice.enquiries@bda.org and an advisor will get back to you when the office reopens. If your email is urgent please mark your email accordingly and we will try to get back to you during the break. Please leave a telephone number and your membership number. For all other enquiries we will get back to you as soon as possible when we reopen on Tuesday 4 January.
We’d like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
15:09
Holiday wishes from Martin Woodrow and everyone at the BDA
On behalf of everyone at the BDA, I'd like to wish you and your family a very merry Christmas and happy new year.
We know 2021 has been another challenging year for the profession, but we have been there to support you. From winning
the argument on pay, to improving support for equality, diversity, and inclusion, I’m proud of what we have achieved on behalf of you, your teams, and patients across the UK.
Our maxim, "Together, we are stronger” continues to hold true and I would like to thank all our members for their essential contributions to our efforts. It is only by working together that we can be the powerful voice that dentistry needs.
As we look forward to the start of 2022, I am confident that we will build on this year and achieve more on your behalf.
Martin Woodrow
BDA CEO
12:02
England: New targets force more NHS appointments despite Omicron wave
We have condemned the government's decision to impose unrealistic activity targets on NHS England dentists during the Omicron wave.
From
1 January 2022 NHS practices will be obliged to meet 85% of their pre-COVID activity levels or face financial penalties - 90% for orthodontic contracts. Nearly two-thirds of practices currently estimate they are incapable of achieving these levels – patients are already cancelling in droves, staff sickness has shot up, and many are already struggling to meet existing contractual thresholds.
We are shocked and frustrated by the government's decision to impose these targets as the nation faces a tidal wave of infection. The lack of appreciation of the challenges dentists are working under and the absence of appropriate forward notice from our NHS commissioners is unacceptable, and we have made this point to them strongly.
To help you understand what's happening, we've produced:
Not a member?
Join today to access this advice.
11:19
Survey: Accessing advice on our website
We're building a new website which will launch next year. Our site has been in demand over the last two years and members deserve a website which better meets their needs.
To help us do the best possible job, we'd like to hear about how you use the current site, particularly how you locate advice and when you need it.
Please complete this five-minute survey to share your views. Our advice is mostly available to members, so you need to be a member to complete this.
10:33
Confidential counselling and emotional support
We provide all members with access to Health Assured, a comprehensive confidential service designed to help you deal with personal and professional problems that could be affecting your home life or work life, health, and general wellbeing. Members can access the helpline 24/7, 365 days a year. Support includes:
- Life support: Unlimited access to counselling, a pathway to structured telephone counselling for you or your dependents and for you face-to-face counselling sessions at your convenience
- Legal information: Advice for you on any issues, including debt management, accountancy, lawsuits, consumer disputes, property or neighbour disputes
- Bereavement support: Experienced counsellors who can help with grief and related stress plus a team of legal advisors to help with legal issues
- CBT online: We recognise the value of self-help tools in dealing with a range of issues, which is why we have a range of CBT self-help modules, informative factsheets and invaluable advice videos from leading qualified counsellors.
09:41
England: Change to self-isolation guidance for NHS staff
NHS England has now confirmed that healthcare workers
can now end COVID-19 quarantine after seven days, rather than after 10 days, if they can provide negative lateral flow results on day six and day seven (24 hours apart).
If both of these LFD (lateral flow device) test results are negative, you may return to work on day eight under the following conditions:
- You must not have any
COVID-19 symptoms
- You should continue to undertake daily LFD tests on day 8, 9 and 10 of your isolation period. If any of these LFD test results are positive you must isolate and should wait 24 hours before taking the next LFD test
- If the LFD test is positive on the 10th day, daily LFD testing should continue and you should not return to work until a negative LFD test result is received
- The LFD test should be taken prior to beginning your shift, or as close as possible to the start time
- You must continue to comply with all relevant infection control precautions and PPE must be worn properly throughout the day.
If staff work with patients who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19, a risk assessment should be undertaken, and consideration given to redeployment for that member of staff for the remainder of the 10-day isolation period.
08:59
BDA elections: 2021 winners announced
This year's election results have been announced.
They include the following five seats on the BDA Board:
- Paul Blaylock, Northern
- Jonathan Mynors-Wallis, South-West
- Paul Woodhouse, UK-wide
- Peter Crooks, Northern Ireland (elected unopposed)
- Mick Armstrong, Yorkshire and Humber (elected unopposed).
Over 20 other people have also been elected to the General Dental Practice Committee, Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee and the Scottish Dental Practice Committee and the English Council.
See the
full results for more information.
Wednesday 22 December 2021
16:11
Wales: Updated guidance for healthcare workers
In response to the Omicron wave the Welsh Government
has updated their guidance for healthcare workers.
The following requirements must now be met by patient-facing dental staff:
- Staff must be symptom-free and fully vaccinated, at least two weeks prior to returning to work
- Staff should inform their manager as soon as a household member has symptoms or tests positive, or when they have been identified as a contact via TTP or the COVID app
- The staff member must have a PCR test performed and received a negative result prior to returning to work
- Following negative the PCR result, lateral flow testing should be done on a daily basis for 10 days from initial exposure, these results should be reported on the on-line portal and manager informed.
15:52
Northern Ireland: Revised IPC guidance published
New
operational guidance for Northern Ireland has been published, which will come into effect from Monday 3 January. The Chief Dental Officer has also outlined the main changes in a
letter dated 22 December 2021.
Infection Prevention and Control relaxations contained in the new Guidance will represent the minimum standards to be applied. There will be flexibility to adhere to current higher standards, for instance in relation to PPE following completion of risk assessment.
12:37
England: New targets force more NHS appointments despite Omicron wave
We have condemned the government's decision to impose unrealistic activity targets on NHS England dentists during the Omicron wave.
From
1 January 2022 NHS practices will be obliged to meet 85% of their pre-COVID activity levels or face financial penalties - 90% for orthodontic contracts. Nearly two-thirds of practices currently estimate they are incapable of achieving these levels – patients are already cancelling in droves, staff sickness has shot up, and many are already struggling to meet existing contractual thresholds.
We are shocked and frustrated by the government's decision to impose these targets as the nation faces a tidal wave of infection. The lack of appreciation of the challenges dentists are working under and the absence of appropriate forward notice from our NHS commissioners is unacceptable, and we have made this point to them strongly.
To help you understand what's happening, we've produced:
Not a member?
Join today to access this advice.
11:55
England: Self-isolation guidance for NHS staff
The Government has announced a change in relation to the position on self-isolation in England. People infected with COVID-19 will now be able to end quarantine after seven days instead of 10 by providing negative lateral flow results on day six and day seven.
However, this change will not automatically be applied to the advice for those working in the NHS.
We have sought urgent clarification on this issue from NHS England and anticipate confirmation on the position soon.
09:28
Scotland: Dental sites advised not to upgrade to Windows 11
National Services Scotland (NSS) have issued a
message to dental sites advising them not to upgrade their computer operating systems to Microsoft Windows 11 at this time. Pop ups have been appearing on systems, encouraging users to accept a free upgrade, but this has been shown to negatively impact and remove some of the links which interface with NHS IT systems.
Access to the Scottish Care Information (SCI) Gateway (the platform facilitating patient referrals between primary and secondary care); Pecos (the online ordering platform for PPE); various practice management systems and Internet Explorer have all been reported as affected. The exact impact on these systems is still not fully understood, therefore NSS have advised users not to upgrade while they investigate. We will keep you updated.
Tuesday 21 December 2021
17:32
Northern Ireland: Updated policy for staff in contact with a COVID-19 case
Today's letter from Chief Medical Officer, Sir Michael McBride, provides
updated guidance on the management of health and social care workers that have had close contact with positive COVID-19 cases. The update includes additional safeguards put in place by the Department of Health.
If someone in the dental team comes into contact with a confirmed COVID positive case and they are fully vaccinated (have had two doses of an approved vaccine, and have received a booster dose at least 14 days prior to the date of their exposure to the confirmed case) they will be permitted to return to work as long as they meet the following requirements:
- They have taken a PCR test after their exposure. This PCR should return a negative result. Staff should not attend work while awaiting the PCR test result
- If the PCR test is negative, the staff member can return to work but should take a daily lateral flow test (including on the same day they receive the negative PCR result) until the tenth day after the last date of contact with the positive case. The lateral flow should be taken before leaving for work each day
- If a staff member has had a positive COVID-19 PCR test in the past 90 days, they should not have a PCR test unless they develop symptoms. Instead, they should take a lateral flow test (LFT) as soon as possible and before attending the workplace. If it's negative, they can return to work and follow the rest of the guidance - including continuing with daily LFTs.
This checklist is a simple, easy to follow format for
employers to make risk assessments on a case-by-case basis and minimise disruption.
16:51
Survey: Accessing advice on our website
We're building a new website which will launch next year. Our site has been in demand over the last two years and members deserve a website which better meets their needs.
To help us do the best possible job, we'd like to hear about how you use the current site, particularly how you locate advice and when you need it.
Please complete this five-minute survey to share your views. Our advice is mostly available to members, so you need to be a member to complete this.
12:16
Looking back at 2021
In his recent blog, Martin Woodrow BDA Chief Executive, looks back at some of the things we've achieved across the last year focusing on contracts and pay, improvements in regulation, infection prevention and control, and support for diversity and inclusion within the profession. He highlights some of our successes:
"I'm proud of what we have achieved on your behalf across the UK. As we look forward to the start of 2022, I am confident that we will build on this year's successes and achieve even more. Thank you to all of our members for their essential contributions to our efforts… Together we are stronger."
10:38
Scotland: Important updates from the Chief Dental Officer (CDO)
The CDO has
written to the profession with updates on a few important developments regarding Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) guidance, COVID-19 self-isolation, staff daily testing and financial support.
- NHS Scotland have created
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for dental teams as a result of the
National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM) recently published in Scotland. These SOPs are intended to support dental teams as they work towards recovering services, while ensuring that measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission are applied to support patient and staff safety. (We had previously been told that there would be no revised SOP for dental teams and are seeking clarification from the Scottish Government).
- The self-isolation policy for healthcare staff who are household or passing contacts of COVID-19 positive cases has been revised. Staff will now be exempt from the requirement to self-isolate for 10 days as long as they are vaccinated, remain asymptomatic, return a negative PCR test and undertake daily lateral flow testing.
- From January 2022, dental practices will be provided with lateral flow device testing kits to enable staff to carry out daily testing at no cost to dental teams.
- Confirmation has been given that the current COVID financial support arrangements for dental practices will remain in place throughout the winter period, and funded PPE for NHS dental care will continue until the end of March 2023.
The announcement of continued PPE supplies for dental practices for an additional year is a welcome development to support the profession in this difficult and uncertain period. We will continue to raise concerns with the Scottish Government on your behalf, and keep you updated on developments.
09:03
Wales: Dentists face challenging environment
In September, we launched a survey to check in on the mental health of dentists in Wales. Rather than showing any improvement in the reported mental health of respondents, this has once again
revealed the high stress levels and difficult working conditions faced by dentists in Wales.
Some of the challenges and likely long-term impacts include:
- 70.5% of respondents of all ages feel the pandemic has led to them rethinking their career in dentistry
- Concerns for patient backlog remains high, with 75% very concerned
- A whopping 83.1% of respondents reported they had gone to work despite not feeling mentally well enough over the past six months. Almost half had done so for more than ten days
- Lunch breaks have decreased in the last six months, with only 50% often being able to take a half an hour lunch break
- 82.1% of respondents say they have experienced rude or abusive behaviour from patients in the last six months. Much of this abuse was aimed at staff or nurses.
This paints a highly concerning picture. We will present these findings to the Welsh Government's Dental Committee in early 2022, making a strong case for support to dentists and dentistry.
Monday 20 December 2021
15:01
Northern Ireland: Self-isolation for HS dental staff
The change announced for NHS dental staff in England is not in place in Northern Ireland, where the Minister for Health has taken the opposite position. Health Minister Robin Swann announced that in response to the emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, from 17 December all close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases should self-isolate and get a PCR test, even if they are fully vaccinated.
Northern Ireland's Chief Medical Officer
letter of 24 August still applies. It advises that if you live with the close contact, the staff member should remain off until 10 days have elapsed following exposure to a household contact. See the Public Health Agency frequently asked questions for healthcare workers for more information.
13:43
Scotland: Revised Scottish Dental Access Initiative
The Scottish Government has revised the
Scottish Dental Access Initiative (SDAI) to establish new or expand/purchase existing NHS dental practices in an attempt to meet unmet patient demand in a range of areas – mostly rural – where access to general dental services is poor.
The Scottish Government has stated its commitment to NHS dentistry, and the latest figures show that registration rates in Scotland remain high (due to lifetime registration), with 96% of the Scottish population registered with an NHS dentist. However, we have raised concerns about falling participation rates, and lower attendance rates in more deprived areas which exacerbate oral health inequalities.
The revised SDAI appears to be a response to access problems in certain areas. We have argued that, rather than spending money on access initiatives, a more sustainable funding model is needed to make NHS dentistry viable.
11:25
Staff can self-certify illness for 28 days
The Government has made a temporary change to the rules on Statutory Sick Pay. Normally, staff can self-certify the first seven days of sickness absence and employers may only ask for a note from their GP if the sickness absence lasts longer. Staff may now self-certify their sickness absence for the first 28 days, if their sickness absence starts between 10 December 2021 and 26 January 2022.
However, this change only effects the employer's ability to insist on a fit note from a GP in respect of Statutory Sick Pay. Members who have concerns about the health of a member of staff may still be able to ask the employee for a note from their GP. Extra and Expert members can call the BDA for advice on matters relating to sickness absence. Call 020 7935 0875 or email
advice.enquiries@bda.org.
10:12
England: NHS dental staff in contact with a COVID-19 case
The NHS has
altered its guidance for dentists and staff members who have been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 positive case, aligning it to the
national guidance. This new guidance removes the advice in relation to household contacts: anyone fully vaccinated and living with a household COVID positive case can return to work, subject to the rules below.
If someone in the dental team comes into contact with a confirmed COVID positive case and:
- They are not fully vaccinated, they must stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days (unless they are exempt because they are under 18 or unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons – in which case, they should not return to work for the period of time they would be required to self-isolate if they had to)
- They are fully vaccinated (having received two vaccine doses and being 14 days post second vaccination), they must arrange a PCR test (unless they have had COVID in the past 90 days), stay at home until the result is known and can return to work if it is confirmed negative.
When returning to work they should complete daily lateral flow tests every morning before work for 10 days. If they do have a subsequent positive lateral flow test, they should arrange another PCR test and stay at home until the result is known and, if that PCR test (in all cases) is positive, the staff member must self-isolate for 10 days.
Outside of this "close contact" guidance, practices are asked to ensure that all staff (even if vaccinated) continue to carry out asymptomatic lateral flow tests twice weekly and report the results (positive or negative)
via the Government website.
08:56
BDJ: More articles added to COVID-19 collection
The latest issue of the British Dental Journal adds yet more content to the
BDJ's collection of articles, editorials and letters on COVID-19 and dentistry Including:
