The model for a new General Dental Services contract is now published.
We will of course give a full and informed response as to whether it meets the specific needs of patients and the profession. But at the outset, we need to be totally frank with our members: this model is NOT a negotiated contract.
There are some elements we brought to the table during the negotiation process, but they have been cherry-picked, and much of the detail we provided has been stripped out. Dialogue ceased last Autumn, and we have been kept in the dark on the final formulation of this document.
What is on offer is hard to follow for dentists who live and breathe this activity. That is unacceptable. However, what is inexcusable is there has been no apparent attempt to involve the patients we serve in the consultation. The bar has been set to all but rule out any responses from the public. There is simply no prospect a lay person will comprehend what this model means for them. There are inconsistencies and missing information which make it difficult to fathom.
We strongly advise dentists to hold off replying to the questions at the end of the document, as they are unacceptably leading.
We will be putting a series of questions to Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Miles MS to gain clarity on the model, and we will be subsequently seeking feedback from our members, the wider profession and patients. Based on this, we will provide a template response in due course.
This is a turning point for dentistry in Wales. And as a professional body and trade union, we will not cut any corners getting this vital feedback.