The British Dental Association (BDA) has warned that the UK Government’s below-inflation pay awards will undermine efforts to bring NHS dentistry back from the brink.
The government has accepted the recommendation of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration for a below-inflation six per cent uplift.
There is still no confirmation on increases for practice expenses, and with the cost of delivering NHS care skyrocketing, the BDA stress this will only fuel the exodus from the NHS. Official data shows that real incomes for typical dentists have fallen by up to 40 per cent - the highest levels in the UK public sector. From 2008/9-2020/21, real pay for a typical NHS dentist in England fell by 37 per cent, from £67,800 to £42,847.
Over half (50.3 per cent) of high street dentists responding to recent BDA surveys reported having reduced NHS commitments since the start of the pandemic. Seventy-four per cent stated their intention to reduce - or further reduce – their NHS work. This movement is not being tracked by official data, which counts heads rather than commitment, and gives dentists who do just one NHS check-up a year the same weight as an NHS full-timer.
Peter Crooks, BDA Vice Chair, said, “The government should not expect applause for begrudgingly delivering a below-inflation pay award to dentists and doctors.
“We’re seeing NHS dentists delivering NHS care at a financial loss. All this decision will fuel is the mounting exodus from this service.”