The eleventh-hour publication of the Welsh Government’s model contract for NHS dentistry leaves struggling practices just days to decide whether or not to stay in the NHS.
The new dental regulations, laid on 11 February, are set to take force by 1 April. The model general dental services (GDS) contract, which we understand will be published on Friday, is meant to help dentists understand the regulations. This is being published a month later than the Government promised.
Under normal circumstances, NHS contractual terms require contractors to give three months’ notice on terminating their contracts. Given official failure to advance reforms in a timely fashion, the deadline of Monday 16 February had been set with the expectation this would give sufficient time to scrutinise the model contract. These further delays mean dentists now have merely the weekend to consider the small print of the model contract ahead of the hand back deadline.
“These are - by the Welsh Government’s own admission - the biggest changes to NHS dentistry in its history,” says Welsh General Dental Practice Committee (WGDPC) Chair Russell Gidney. “But Ministers have given dentists just the weekend to read the small print and make a decision.”
“This is either callousness or incompetence. On Friday primary school kids will get more time on their homework than Ministers have given dentists to decide on the future of their practices.
“The Welsh Government needs to own this. Patients will pay the price for the snap decisions they’ve forced on this profession.”
While the Welsh Government's consultation response made last year gave a broad outline of their intentions, practices have been given little to no time to assess how the fine details may impact on their business plans and patient base. This is wholly unacceptable.
While the regulations are available, a corresponding statement of financial entitlement has still not been published. This document would set out how payments should be calculated and made to practices that would give dentists needed clarity on the financial impact of these changes.
Given the invidious position that dentists have been put in, the Welsh Government needs to act today and offer a 12 month pause on implementation of the new system. This ‘mad rush’ approach is a material risk to patient care and the long-term sustainability of the service.
We will be refreshing and expanding our hub of resources on the new contract as soon as possible and will update members further once we receive clarity from the Welsh Government, so that we can best support you in the days ahead.
