Bid for 1,300 more NHS dental places (From Gazette & Herald)

Bid for 1,300 more NHS dental places

HEALTH bosses have pledged to increase the number of NHS dental places in Ryedale by 1,300 over the next three years.

The Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale Primary Care Trust (PCT) unveiled its 'Dental Action Plan' at a public board meeting in Scarborough on Friday, May 28, and said it would increase the number of dental places available within the Ryedale, Scarborough and Whitby area by 11,000.

Speaking before the meeting, Michael Whitworth, chief executive of the PCT, said: "We are very confident in our plans to increase dental places by 11,000 across the whole area in the coming years and, if we need more, we will put further plans in place."

According to the action plan, NHS dentist places in Ryedale would be created in Malton and Pickering, but details of the surgeries concerned could not be revealed due to commercial sensitivity.

Mr Whitworth said there were two main mechanisms for attracting and maintaining dentists to work within the NHS - one was a series of cash rewards and the other was help of up to 50pc with the cost of refurbishment and equipment. He said these would be available to dentists who were coming to join a practice in the area or to set one up.

He added: "We don't recruit dentists; they either join or set up a practice and then the NHS buy in their service. Obviously we need to attract more dentists to the area, which is a difficult job, since we have above the national average of dentists for the population."

The action plan was met with caution by John Renshaw, chairman of the British Dental Association, who is based in Scarborough. He said: "My concern is that the incentives are being offered by others as well.

"The NHS is a body offering incentives, but not just in this area, all over the place. We have to work out what level of incentive will produce the right level of recruitment.

"It's very difficult to know what will bring people here, it's not just a case of giving a lump sum. Some dentists may want help with removal, the cost of relocation, or student loans.

"To just have one incentive might not be right.

"I have reservations, but I'm pleased to see they are trying. I'm just concerned that they may not be the right incentives and they may not be enough."

Helen Stokell, modernisation manager for the primary care trust, said at the meeting: "We have secured funding for extra dentists and support staff across the area."

She said that the PCT would also monitor changes in working patterns, such as retirement or ceasing NHS practice, to ensure that current places were not lost.

Under the action plan, dentists who commit to taking NHS patients can receive a series of sliding payments from the NHS.

If they commit to taking 2,000 NHS patients for one year, they can receive £3,000. If they keep them for two years, they get a further £4,000 and, if they keep them for a third year, they will get an extra £5,000.

The other incentive is to pay up to 50pc for refurbishment and equipment. A dentist's chair can cost around £25,000.

Board member Adrian Brookes asked at the meeting what public consultation there had been in drawing up the action plan, to which Mr Whitworth replied that, in terms of people contacting the PCT and attending public board meetings, there had been a strong dialogue about dental provision.

He said the PCT had also consulted members of local government on the issue, but added: "The public made it very clear what they wanted and our efforts have been focused on solving it, not re-consulting them."

Mr Whitworth also talked about the recruitment of more support staff, to free up dentists' time for work which only they can carry out.

He also said that the PCT would continue to look to recruit dentists from overseas.

"We're attracting overseas dentists like any dentists to the area," he said.

"They will be properly registered and then carry out an induction program to understand how the NHS works."

He added: "We are working with dentists in Ryedale and we're confident that we will be able to generate more NHS places from the existing dental practices based here. It's been very positive in Ryedale."

The PCT launched a system earlier this month whereby adults and children wishing to register with an NHS dentist can place themselves on a database called the Patient Advice and Liaison (PALS) service.

To get on the database, call (01653) 600800 or e-mail pals@swrpct.nhs.uk.

Updated: 11:36 Wednesday, June 02, 2004