National Audit Office investigation into the NHS dental recovery plan
The plan was designed to deliver over 1.5 million additional NHS dental treatments in 2024-25. It has three main components, with four key initiatives aimed at achieving these goals.
These were through
Mobile Dental Vans: These vans are designed to bring dental services directly to communities that may have limited access to traditional dental practices.
New Patient Premium: Participating dental practices receive credits treating new eligible patients
Recruitment Incentives: Aimed at addressing workforce shortages, the plan includes ‘golden hello’ incentives of £20,000 for 240 dentists to work in areas with recruitment and retention challenges
Increase in UDA (units of dental activity): The minimum value of a UDA has been raised to £28
According to the NAO report, The Dental Recovery Plan is currently not on track to meet the target of delivering more than 1.5 million additional courses of treatment in 2024-25. Even if the additional treatments are achieved by the end of the year, the plan will still result in 2.6 million fewer treatments compared to 2018-19 levels.
The conclusion of the report is that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England (NHSE) need to reflect on what aspects of the plan have been successful and build on those lessons as they work towards meaningful reforms to the NHS dental contract.
A full evaluation of the plan is needed, along with a review of the reporting systems to ensure that data from Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) is being properly collected. This will be crucial for tracking progress on future plans. DHSC and NHSE must also assess how they engage with ICBs and dental practices, which are key to delivering NHS dental care at the local level.
To read the full report: https://www.nao.org.uk/reports/investigation-into-the-nhs-dental-recovery-plan
We will be looking at dentistry in the City and how residents are able to access dentistry through the NHS. We are looking for your experiences and feedback on how you feel about the access and care you receive from your dentist, email info@healthwatchcityoflondon.org.uk to tell us your experiences.
