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July 4th 2022 Lincolnshire LDC Update Number 66
Dear all …………Welcome to our LDC Update. As I said previously, I am conscious not to send information that you have read before. We can all struggle from information overload and sometimes what is important can be missed. The LDN produce an excellent and informative monthly newsletter and so please always look at this as a summary of what you need to know.
A Very Busy Month
In the last month, the LDC AGM took place and thank you to everyone who attended. My report for the year is enclosed. Issues around the workforce predominate with access, especially to NHS Dentistry, the number one priority.
I attended the Health and Scrutiny Committee of Lincolnshire County Council. At this meeting, NHSE present on current levels of service provision and councillors ask relevant questions. As you can appreciate, it can be an uncomfortable meeting.
Millie Coulby, our LDC Secretary and I attended the LDC Conference. This year you had the option of attending in person or virtually. Lincolnshire LDC member and Chair of GDPC, Shawn Charlwood, gave the opening address and highlighted the need for urgent contract reform. Overall, the tone of the meeting was less negative than in the past. Millie has taken excellent notes, and these are enclosed.
In my capacity as LDN Chair, I was tasked by NHSE to report on why initiatives relating to access, both GDS and Orthodontics, have not been taken up in Lincolnshire. NHSE now have my report. To be able to add the voice from front line clinicians is very powerful. Thank you to everyone for their feedback.
At the beginning of the month, I took part in a meeting with the Minister responsible for Dentistry, Maria Caulfield, and the MPs for Lincolnshire and Greater Lincolnshire. You will appreciate the postbags of MPs are full of complaints about dental matters. Interestingly, in the recent Tiverton by – Election, lack of NHS Dentistry in the area was highlighted as one of most important points by the electorate.
Before the Pandemic, Lincolnshire had workforce shortages well known to NHSE. The County has been over reliant on Overseas Dentists and the combination of Covid, Brexit and the cessation of the ORE examination has had a huge impact on workforce.
Data has been obtained to determine the dentist to 100,000 population ratio and therefore highlight the areas of greatest shortage of workforce in England. The four areas where this ratio is the lowest is North Lincolnshire (32 NHS dentists per 100,000 population) Northeast Lincolnshire (37) East Riding of Yorkshire (37) and Lincolnshire (38). The shortage of workforce is not confined to NHS Practices only, with Private colleagues reporting similar issues. The LDC recently conducted a workforce survey. 32/61 practices with NHS Contracts replied. Out of these 32 contracts, 24 full time vacancies were reported. 15 wholly private practices replied, and 10 full time vacancies were reported. In other words, if you don’t have
the manpower, you cannot deliver the service that currently is commissioned, let alone any additional activity …………and more poignantly, the problem is not solely confined to NHS Practices.
What is being done?
To state the obvious regarding the workforce situation, we cannot magic dentists from thin air but behind the scenes, much work is going on. We are certainly not the forgotten county. At the highest level, everyone is aware of the problems we face in Lincolnshire. Hopefully as more overseas dentists take the ORE examination, we should see some improvement. However, we are in competition with other areas, but now we can offer Golden Hellos to dentists relocating to Lincolnshire and FDs or PLVE Candidates who wish to stay once they have their Performer Number. Why not consider becoming a training practice for FDs or PLVE candidates. It can be a very rewarding experience and a way of recruiting and retaining dentists in your practice.
At last, a Leadership Fellow has been appointed to Lincolnshire from September 2022. This person will combine a role part time in primary care with another role in workforce development and much besides. I look forward to working with this fellow.
The transition to the ICS (Integrated Care System) is now in progress and I am pleased with the progress being made in Lincolnshire. Local dental issues will impact much more in a locally managed system.
A strong and motivated LDN working with many partners is key to the development of services in this area and please be assured the LDN is very much focused on improvement locally.
( please see my Chair’s report )
And finally ……….
Many of you will be taking much need holiday time in the next two months. I hope you can get a good break, a chance to relax, spend quality time with your families and are not inconvenienced with flight delays or cancellations. Forget about dentistry for a while and come back refreshed and re focused.
Best wishes
Kenny Hume Chair Lincolnshire LDC
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