16th July GG&C LDC Update

15 July 2020

Additional Surgeries; Face Coverings; Private Dental Care; Routine Referrals

  1. ADDITIONAL SURGERIES
    • Yesterday’s Chief of Dentistry update is available here
    • A new webropol survey will soon be sent to your Practice Generic Inbox to allow for Phase 3 Self-Declarations. It will gather information about:
      • Additional surgeries
      • Routine treatments
      • Numbers of patients
    • Additional surgeries will require ‘sign off’ and the webropol will detail the process for this.
    • The number of patients we can see is now only limited by the need to maintain physical distancing within communal areas and availability of PPE supplies (still being provided by NSS via boards).
    • NHS AGPs can only be provided in UDCCs during Phase 3.
    • The capacity at UDCCs for AGPs has increased significantly with more sites and more nominated dentists coming on board. However, the focus at present remains on ‘urgent’ care at these sites.
  2. FACE COVERINGS
    • The CoD update contains a lengthy explanation about patients wearing face coverings when attending practices.
    • In summary:
      • Do recommend that patients wear a face covering when attending the practice.
      • Do not refuse access if they cannot wear a face covering.
      • Do not challenge their inability to wear a face covering.
      • Do not give patients NHS PPE (Type IIR surgical masks) to wear as this is of limited supply and specifically for our use.
  3. REFERRING IN TO ‘COMMUNITY’ AND ‘GDH’
    • The LDC are currently being consulted on the plans for restarting the Public Dental Service (previously community) and the Hospital Dental Service (GDH specialist departments).
    • Much like GDPs the issues they face are:
      • A significant backlog of patients waiting to be seen
      • Limitations on how many patients they can see going forwards
    • This is compounded by the fact that PDS and HDS sites are currently being used as UDCCs and may continue to be for some time
    • It is therefore likely that patients on waiting lists may be returned to GDP care with advice only
    • It is also likely that the criteria for acceptance will be tightened and the waiting times for those who are accepted will be extensive.
    • Guidance on referring is expected in the next few weeks.
  4. PRIVATE DENTAL CARE IN MIXED PRACTICE
    • The CoD Update states: “As per previous Central Legal Office guidance you may continue to undertake AGPs for private care. You will be required to indicate this on the Webropol survey. You must also ensure that you have robust processes in place for risk assessment and mitigation for staff and patients.”
    • The issue of a ‘two tier’ system developing in Scottish Dentistry is recognised by GG&C LDC and we have repeatedly highlighted this both locally and nationally.
  5. GUIDANCE ON SDR 145
    • NHS National Service Scotland have now produced a Guidance Document to accompany SDR 145 following the 10th July PCA from Scottish Government
    • SDR amendment 145 is the interim SDR detailing the Phase 3 range of NHS treatment items.
    • We can now start to close pre-covid courses of treatment. There is a detailed flowchart and there are examples of how to do this in various circumstances.
    • Triage codes are still required in Phase 3 and numerous examples of how activity should be coded are given.
  6. NES PRACTICE REOPENING VIDEOS
    • NHS Education Scotland has produced a series of videos to assist in practice reopening, including:
      • Practice Preparation for reopening
      • Communication with patients
      • The process when patient arrives
      • The process in surgery
      • Patient leaving and doffing PPE
      • Environmental cleaning
      • Patient Exit and cleaning communal areas
    • Our very own GG&C LDC Chair Josephine Weir and her team kindly volunteered to take part in the filming.