5th May Covid-19 Update

Please follow this link to access today’s GG&C Chief of Dentistry Update. Remember, all the updates and official advice specific to Glasgow are available on the GG&C NHS website. The most relevant news affecting GG&C GDPs today is:

1. NO NHS 24 COVER FOR FRIDAY 8TH MAY
   • This is just a reminder that in GG&C Friday 8th May is a ‘normal’ day. The Board had opted not to swap the May Day holiday (decided before Covid-19 pandemic).
   • Practices will not have NHS 24 cover and must continue to telephone triage during working hours on Friday.
   • We are hearing anecdotal reports of a few practices who are only taking calls for one or two hours each day. The LDC would remind these practices that this is putting the burden on NHS 24 who are bearing the brunt of the Covid-19 calls. We are receiving our full continuing care and capitation payments on the basis that we are still offering AAA triage during the whole working week, 9am to 6pm. It would be devastating for all practices if this support was removed because of a handful of outliers.
2. SELF REFERRAL FOR COVID-19 TESTING
   • Dentists and their team members can now self-refer or refer members of their household if they become symptomatic with symptoms indicative of Covid-19 infection.
   • The purpose of this service is to keep the active NHS workforce at work. If dentists or their team members are not currently deployed then they should stay at home and follow the public advice for Covid-19 on NHS Inform.
   • Self-referral must be made within 5 days of developing symptoms for the test to be effective.
   • These tests are for active infection, they are not antigen tests and will not tell you if you’ve had it and recovered.
   • You can access the self-referral form here
3. LDC ACTIVITY
   • The LDC convened via Zoom last night and welcomed our newly elected members (Hari Lal, Philip Larmour, Helen Dennison, Graeme Marshall, Kirsty Malley and Anita Belbin).
   • Jacqui Frederick stepped down as Chair having served her 3 year term, we are hugely grateful for her leadership during this time. Josephine Weir was elected as our new Chair with the other office bearers remaining in position.
   • Following our extremely productive meeting last night we will now be making  further representations to Scottish Government via the SDPC on Thursday 7th May and also at a specially convened meeting with the Oral Health Directorate on Monday 11th May. We continue to raise your concerns both locally and nationally and will report back in due course.
   • We are considering the LDC hosting zoom based ‘drop in’ meetings for our constituents in lieu of courses and webinars (there is already an excess of this at present) until the pandemic is over. We would hope to provide a platform for practitioners to meet and discuss local issues and put forward ideas. We would also consider inviting representation form the Oral Health Directorate to answer your questions.
4. LDC MANDATES
   • Every dentist with a list number in GG&C can and should have an active LDC levy mandate.
   • It is important to note that if you have moved practice or changed list number your mandate is no longer active and you should sign a new one with each change.
   • If you are not sure if you are supporting the LDC then please email the LDC and ask. Alternatively, you can just complete another mandate (duplications are picked up at our end and there will be no ‘doubling up’ of levies). The process is entirely online and takes no more than a minute.
   • There are currently over 400 dentists in GG&C who currently do not contribute the LDC levy, which is likely due to the fact that many don’t realise their mandate is inactive.
   • Nonetheless, the LDC continue to pay in to the vital Scottish Dental Fund as if every constituent contributes (meaning that those who do contribute are unfairly paying for those that don’t).
   • Your mandate authorises a few pounds each month from your schedule to be paid to the LDC to fund our activity (which we can assure you is put to very good use at all levels).
   • In return you receive representation, advice, support and Free CPD events year round.
   • We are not a union, we are not a commercial enterprise, we are GDPs like you working in Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Without mandated levy payments the LDC will collapse like they have in several other Health Board areas in recent years.

GG&C Chief of Dentistry Update 5th May 2020
Updated Referral Form
Triage and Referral Protocol