News
New NHS Complaints Procedures for Dental Practices
Following on from the introduction of the Patient Rights Act (Scotland) 2011, changes are being introduced to procedures dealing with NHS complaints in Scotland, which will affect all practices providing NHS dental care. The changes will take effect from 1st April 2017 and practices must have updated procedures in place by then It will align…
Read MoreFinancial Sustainability of NHS Dentistry Under Threat
The British Dental Association today highlighted a 35% collapse in earnings which is undermining the future of NHS dentistry. It is described as the biggest crisis in the dental profession in over 10 years and patient care is expected to suffer as a result, with practices facing bankruptcy through spiralling costs, and many dentists retiring…
Read MoreScottish Government Consultation on the Future of Oral Health
The Government will be launching a consultation on the review of NHS general dental services on the 15th of September 2016, for a period of three months. There will be extensive consultation, with 11 roadshows around Scotland between 3rd October and 17th November and a series of meetings with stakeholders. All GDPs are encouraged to…
Read MoreGDC slammed by the Professional Standards Authority
A highly critical 306 page report by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) into the performance of the General Dental Council (GDC) was published today. The report speaks of organisational deficiency within the GDC, highlighting a failure to address historic governance issues going back to 2013. The PSA also expressed the view that the GDC displayed…
Read MoreScottish Patient Safety Programme: Dentistry in Primary Care Consultation
Greater Glasgow and Clyde LDC would like to encourage GDPs and their staff to participate in a survey being undertaken by the Scottish Patient Safety Programme in Primary Care (SPSP-PC), who are exploring improvement with healthcare professionals working within Dentistry in Primary Care. The aim of the questionnaire is to identify the areas of greatest…
Read MoreRegulation of private dental clinics
Regulation of Private Dental Clinics in Scotland: From April 2016 Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) will start regulating all independent clinics in Scotland – that is, those clinics not carrying out any NHS care. This includes any entirely private dental clinic, whether owned by a dentist or dental care professional. Practices delivering NHS care are currently…
Read MoreSugar Tax Debate
A high profile reformer has called on the Scottish Government to implement a Sugar Tax to fund a 2p Income Tax cut. The former chair of the think tank Reform Scotland, Ben Thomson has called for a sugar tax to pay for a proposed 2p cut in income tax in Scotland, reckoning such a tax…
Read MoreNew GDC Consultation
The General Dental Council has launched a new consultation on the annual retention fee (ARF) suggesting a freeze in the current rates. The BDA has criticised the consultation, pointing out that they defeated the GDC in the High Court last year. The action concerned a flawed fees consultation which led to the current rates being raised…
Read MoreOut of hours emergency cover
Greater Glasgow & Clyde Out-of-Hours Emergency Dental Service (GGCEDS) – telephone 111 In addition to evenings’ and weekend cover, GGCEDS will provide emergency care on the following public holidays in 2015: Christmas Day – Friday 25 December Boxing Day – Monday 28 December 2016: New Year’s Day – Friday 1 January Recovery Day – Monday…
Read MoreDental Helpline for patients
There is a Dental Helpline for patients looking for advice. The Oral Health Directorate have asked us to pass this number on to patients who may, for example, need assessment for domiciliary care – if they are not registered or their dentist is not able to provide domiciliary care. The Dental Helpline Number is: 0141…
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