A ray of hope for NHS dentistry?

Another day, another dentist walking away from their NHS contract. But the story in Lostwithiel is different to the one you've heard a hundred times before.

Dentistry commissioning was recently devolved from NHS England to Cornwall's new "Integrated Care Board", so local leaders now have the power to rewrite contracts. An innovative pilot contract signed in Lostwithiel will free NHS dentists there from the national model of payments for "Units of Dental Activity" and switch them to an hourly wage. Many other dentists who have left the NHS over the past eighteen years have blamed the “unrealistic” UDA targets for their decision to go private.

Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Colin Martin says he is proud to have played a role in the negotiations:

“When Lostwithiel lost one of its NHS dentists a few months ago, practice owner Fin Bason made it clear that he would soon lose all his other NHS dentists if the contract remained unchanged. I contacted the Integrated Care Board and urged them to work with Fin to find a compromise before it was too late. I’m delighted that these negotiations have led to a sustainable new contract being signed in Lostwithiel. Sadly there still isn't enough money to provide NHS care to all who need it, but the available places will now be allocated on clinical criteria. Under 18s, most over 80s and people with illnesses or disabilities which affect their ability to look after their own teeth will keep their places on Lostwithiel’s NHS list. Obviously this will be bad news for some healthy working-age adults who will lose their NHS places, but hundreds of other people with serious dental problems will now be able to access NHS treatment after years without any dental care at all. Fin deserves great credit for fighting to get a more sustainable contract rather than just walking away from the NHS as thousands of other dentists have done.” 

“Of course, I will continue campaigning for NHS dentistry to be available to all, but in the meantime, this example of local innovation seems like a rare exception to the downward trend which started when Labour introduced the deeply flawed national contract in 2005 and has continued for thirteen years under the Conservatives.”

The new contract was explained to patients during a public meeting at Lostwithiel Community Centre on Monday evening. Cllr Martin chaired the event, where representatives from Lostwithiel Dental Surgery and the NHS answered questions from patients. Conservative MP Sheryll Murray was also present, but refused to answer any questions, saying she was “just here to listen”.

Patients will be notified of the changes by letter and email in the coming days.