The Consultant Orthodontist Group (COG) of the British Orthodontic Society (BOS) are delighted to support the publication of the GIRFT report into hospital dentistry. Recommendations in this new report aim to improve access and standards of care for patients, and knowledge of activity to the secondary care trusts and wider NHS.
Liz Jones, national lead for the report, engaged with specialties as data collection revealed variations, coding of activity being a standout issue especially in orthodontics.
The COG working group, chaired by Helen Travess, developed two booklets to clarify the guidance on coding for hospital dentistry, published by BOS, RCS and GIRFT. Developed for clinicians, clinical coders and other health professionals within secondary care trusts, it aims to improve the quality of data and reduce unwarranted variation. It has been widely published through the society, with open access to clinicians. Orthodontics has been an exemplar to the field, with other specialties also now developing guidance to coding.
Jonathan Sandler, president of BOS, said, “We welcome this new report into hospital dentistry. It couldn’t be better timed in this post pandemic phase of healthcare delivery. Interdisciplinary working is key to hospital dentistry. This report supports these aims with recommendations on workforce and access to such care. It also highlights the role of oral heath advice and multi government agency action.”