Friday 28 April 2023
19:00
Website availability this weekend
Due to essential maintenance work, bda.org will be offline from Saturday evening through to the morning of Monday 1 May.
If you need access to any files, please download them before this period. Online booking of events will not be available.
The library online catalogue and the CPD Hub are not affected, and both will be available.
We apologise for the inconvenience.
15:38
Video: Monthly round-up
In our latest video CEO Martin Woodrow highlights the ways we've been supporting you throughout April.
You can read the full stories outlined in the video here:
We will keep you updated as we continue to push for progress on these areas and for meaningful, long-term contract reform.
08:34
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
Today is
World Day for Safety and Health at Work which promotes the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
All health care sectors are subject to regulation and dentistry is no exception. Ensuring your practice has a safe and healthy working environment helps to prevent injuries and accidents in the workplace.
Our
health and safety advice section covers all the areas you need to be aware of including infection control, dental unit waterlines, and healthcare waste. There are also several templates available to Expert members that can be tailored to fit your practice’s needs.
Thursday 27 April 2023
16:11
Oral health data collection pilot
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) are to undertake a short data collection exercise within the oral health sector. This exercise will aim to:
- support monitoring and inspection planning
- reduce pre-inspection burdens
- enable more targeted inspection activities
- highlight the challenges facing dentistry for future CQC publications.
A small pilot of the draft questions will be sent out in June 2023 across a sample of 200 registered dental locations chosen at random across England. It will be open for 4 weeks and is voluntary to complete. No provider registered within the last 12 months will be included in the pilot.
15:44
Autism training in dentistry
The Health and Care Act 2022 states that from 1 July 2022, all health and social care providers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), including dentists, must ensure their staff receive training on learning disabilities and autism appropriate to their role.
The CQC will be checking on the issue and advises practices to follow the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism. To complete it individuals must:
- Tier 1 – the one hour online interactive session co-delivered by a person with a learning disability and an autistic person along with a facilitator (Tier 1 is for people who require general awareness of the support autistic people or people with a learning disability may need)
OR
- Tier 2 – the one-day face to face training co-delivered by a person with a learning disability and an autistic person and trainer (Tier 2 is for people who may need to provide care and support for autistic people or people with a learning disability)
Tier 2 training includes Tier 1 material, so individuals only need to do one training package, either Tier 1 or Tier 2, whichever is most relevant to their role.
Unfortunately, we have not been able to establish which category dentists (and other clinical staff) fall into; it could be that non-clinical staff have to do T1, whereas clinical must do T2, but we do not know yet.
However, we advise practices to undertake the learning package and remind members that we also provide a one hour verifiable CPD course, providing insight into the needs of people with learning disability and autism.
Once we know which job role falls in to T1 or T2, we will update members, but the Government has yet to consult on the "Code of Practice" as yet and that will probably hold the answers.
14:11
Library package available on Remote and Teledentistry services
Members can now access the
new online package
(folder) of articles covering Remote and Teledentistry Services.
Our online library offers a wide range of eBook titles, encouraging keeping knowledge current and up-to-date. A few titles added to the package:
We are open for visitors Wednesday and Thursday, so you can browse the shelves or visit our online catalogue any time.
08:56
‘Are you (always) safe to practise?’ seminar
On Friday 30 June from 09:00 - 16:30, we’re holding an
in-person seminar at our London office, on the theme of capability, competence and confidence in practice. You will hear from several expert speakers and have the opportunity to discuss real-life scenarios with peers.
You will be able to:
- Explore what is needed to practise clinical dentistry ‘safely’ from a dento-legal perspective and how competence can be reviewed
- Gain an overview of key dento-legal considerations across various types of clinical dentistry
The seminar carries 5.5 hours of CPD.
You can read more about
competence and capability in our BDJ in Practice articles on
endodontic treatment,
adult orthodontic aligners and
implant dentistry ahead of the event.
Wednesday 26 April 2023
12:12
Stress Awareness Month Stress Awareness Month has been held every April as an opportunity for open conversation on the impact of stress.
This campaign is dedicated to removing the stigma surrounding mental health conversations. Stress can lead to numerous health problems, from physical issues like heart disease and digestive issues, to serious mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.
To mark the occasion, we have created a collection of
Wellbeing titles that are available for members and a
package of articles on “Stress in dentistry”. Please let us know if you’re interested in borrowing them this Stress Awareness Month.
10:08
England: Committee needs to set ‘to do list’ for government We’ve urged the Health and Social Care Committee to set out a clear roadmap to reform for government, following evasive answers and poorly defined commitments in the final session with NHS England and the Department of Health.
The Minister and officials kept trying to paint a picture of ‘recovery’, far removed from the facts. MPs heard about NHS activity rising by ‘a fifth’ in the last year when this ‘growth’ is based on comparing 2021/22 figures with the depths activity fell to during the height of the pandemic.
“Witnesses tried to defend the indefensible, attempting to put a gloss on the government’s record” says Eddie Crouch, who attended the session in Westminster.
“NHS dentistry needs urgent reform, it’s got tweaks. It requires sustainable funding, instead we’ve got a charge hike that’s hit the patients who need us most.
“The Committee can draw a line under this and set an urgent ‘to do list’ for government.”
Tuesday 25 April 2023
15:11
Northern Ireland: Mental health in dental settings project
The Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG) has extended
an invitation for General Dental Practitioners in Northern Ireland to participate in the mental health in dental settings UK project (MINDSET UK).
The invitation letter contains a link to complete a short questionnaire which should take no more than 10 minutes.
Please share the invitation with other members of your dental practice and for further details,
download the information sheet or contact
jennifer.knights@nhs.scot.
13:29
England: A dental ‘recovery plan’?Just hours before he’s set to give evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee inquiry, and Minister Neil O’Brien has revealed a dental ‘recovery plan’ is in the works.
This announcement is effectively the government telling the world they have a plan to have a plan.
This is not the urgent action this service desperately requires.
The evidence session
can be viewed on Parliamentlive.tv from 1:30pm.
12:04
NHS dentistry: The uncertain future for dentists
We helped secure a debate in the House of Commons this Thursday on the crisis in NHS dentistry. We’ve asked members to reach out to their MPs – and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response.
“I’ve urged my MP to attend the debate to save our NHS and fight our corner” says early career dentist Cameron Law,
in his new blog. “Otherwise, I, and many others, are likely to continue the exodus from the NHS. It is a decision we will not take lightly. It's not what we want to do at all, but it's what we'll have to do if we want to pay the bills.”
Send your MP a message – it only takes five minutes.
We’ve set out all the advice you need to know.
09:37
England: Minister and CDO to appear before Health CommitteeThe Health and Social Care Committee prepares to hold its final oral evidence session today, with testimony from Healthwatch England, followed by Minister for Primary Care Neil O’Brien MP and CDO for England Sara Hurley.
We’ve taken to the national media to stress that Ministers and Officials must be held to account.
The evidence session
can be viewed on Parliamentlive.tv from 1:30pm.
Monday 24 April 2023
17:31
Dental Core Training updates for 2023
The applications for Dental Core Training (DCT) places from September 2023 closed in February and over the next few weeks applicants will undertake interviews. Preferencing of places opened on 11 April and is set to close on 19 May.
We have been highlighting the significant pay disparities between DCT training places across the UK. National governments set these rates independently and we have been campaigning for the Department of Health in Northern Ireland to increase their DCT pay to comparable levels as those in the other countries of the UK.
We believe applicants should be aware of salary levels before choosing a place and making a commitment. Salary changes may occur between now and taking up post, along with the supplements available. Our news piece
provides further information.
15:26
England: Our message to Steve Barclay on charges
Today’s 8.5% increase is the largest on record, dwarfing those set for both NHS prescriptions and eye tests. So, we must ask why our patients are being singled out.
Last month The Times reported Whitehall sources suggesting a further 4% increase is set for 2024. This must be abandoned.
We can see no evidence of any meaningful equality impact assessment being undertaken, given the material impact this policy is set to have on millions on relatively low incomes.
Pledges to develop a new framework must be brought forward with urgency, and a sustainable funding settlement must be in place to underpin the rebuild this service.
09:32
England: Costs leave millions delaying or avoiding NHS treatmentAs NHS charges rise, we’re focusing on the devastating impact of government’s funding strategy.
Polling we’ve undertaken with YouGov show costs are now shaping the clinical choices made by millions of patients.
