Small rise in ARF for dentists
THE General Dental Council has announced that the annual retention fee (ARF) will increase by 1.5 per cent to £690 for dentists.
Health and care system “gridlocked”
ONLY two in five people are able to leave hospital when ready to do so, which is contributing to record-breaking waits in emergency departments and dangerous ambulance handover delays, according to the Care Quality Commission.
Older patients use NHS more but complain less
MORE patients over age 55 years used the NHS in England (66 per cent) than those under 55 years (57 per cent) during the pandemic, but fewer (25 per cent) would have been willing to complain compared to under 55s (34 per cent).
Positive results for friends and family tests
THE vast majority of patient responses to the healthcare “friends and family test” (FFT) were positive, latest figures from NHS England show.
Call for new patient safety commissioners across UK
PATIENT safety commissioners should be appointed in each UK country to reduce risks in health and social care, according to a new report.
Survey reveals NHS dentistry at “tipping point”
A BBC survey has found that 90 per cent of NHS dental practices are not accepting new adult dental patients, and 80 per cent are not taking on children.
GDC fitness to practise report reveals ethnic disparity
A DISPROPORTIONATELY high number of fitness to practise concerns received by the General Dental Council (GDC) in 2021 were raised against Asian or Asian British dentists compared to their proportion of the total register.
NHS facing “greatest workforce crisis” in its history
A COMMITTEE of MPs has concluded that the NHS is facing the greatest workforce crisis in its history, with persistent understaffing posing a serious risk to staff and patient safety.
GDC shifts focus to prevention in new strategy
PREVENTING patient harm and promoting professionalism are the focus of the General Dental Council’s new three-year strategic plan.
Access to NHS dental services widened in new reforms
DENTAL therapists will be able to accept NHS patients for the first time as part of a raft of new reforms designed to improve patient access in England.