The September NHS dentistry and oral health update focused on upcoming changes to the dental contract.
Sara Hurley, chief dental officer England and Dr Ursula Montgomery, director for Primary Care, opened with a focus on new developments following the contract changes announced in July 2022. From October 1, 2022, changes will begin to come into effect including “a minimum indicative UDA value of £23, updates to support enhanced UDAs for higher needs patients and personalisation of recall intervals, promoting more effective use of skill mix and other changes requiring regulatory amendments.”
With the seasons changing and winter fast approaching, the update reminds employers that the “influenza vaccination” should be offered to “to frontline health care workers” including “clinical and non-clinical staff”.
For more information on the NHS influenza immunisation programme visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-flu-immunisation-programme-plan/national-flu-immunisation-programme-2022-to-2023-letter
Minimum indicative UDA value of £23
Sara and Ursula reminded readers, “All contractors with an indicative UDA value of less than £23 should have received a letter from their local area team confirming whether this will be implemented through either a reduction in required annual activity or an increase in their annual contract value (with activity requirements remaining the same).”
The change will come into effect on October 1, 2022, and will be reflected in Compass by the end of the month.
FP17 updates to support enhanced UDAs for higher needs patients and personalisation of recall intervals
The update states that the contract changes will be accompanied by “new fields” being added “to the Clinical Data Set to capture the provision of molar and non-molar endodontic treatments to support the appropriate allocation of 5 and 7 UDAs to qualifying Band 2 Courses of Treatment, in preparation for the planned regulations amendment.”
As recall intervals have been personalized the FP17 has been “amended” to “collect data on the highest BPE sextant score and the number of untreated decayed teeth at the beginning of the examination.”
After October 1, “completion of the NICE guidance recommended recall interval field will become mandatory on adult claims for Band 1,2 and 3 Courses of Treatment.”
Promoting the more effective use of skill mix
This section of the update focused specifically on the role of the dental hygienist, dental therapist and dental professionals (DCP). Current GDS regulations identify these professionals under “36A of the Dentists Act as being able to provide services under the contract provided that they are a dental care professional and their registration is not subject to suspension. These staff are therefore able to provide care under the contract in accordance with their scope of practice and competence.”
Due to the upcoming changes, NHS contractors are suggested to have individual conversations with DCPs “to ascertain current levels of competence and confidence and any support required to work to their full scope of practice.”
From October 1, 2022, the NHS will be able to collect data on the care being provided by these professionals – “there will be a check box to indicate which DCP fully or partially provided care (therapist, hygienist, nurse, clinical technician) together with a space for their GDC number.”
Additional guidance will be published in October 2022.
Changes requiring regulatory amendments
The update closed by considering the amendment to UDA’s again. The update points out that “amendment to the UDAs awarded to the filling and /or extraction of three or more teeth, non-molar and molar endodontics requires regulatory change before it can be enacted.” It is hoped that the FP17 changes will allow relevant data to be gathered to support the change.
By the end of November the author’s “anticipate” the changes to be in place. Later changes will likely also include “the regulatory changes necessary to require updating of the Directory of Services.”
Updates will be provided on further changes once they have gone through “parliamentary processes.”