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New NHS Dental Contract Update.
As many of you will be aware, the new NHS dental contract was introduced on April 1st. Under the new contract, dentists are allocated a quota of NHS work to spread over a year by the local Primary Care Trust (PCT) and paid accordingly. Our NHS contract permits us to offer NHS treatment only to those patients aged below 18 years.
If the target quota is not met by a dentist then the PCT may demand back some of the money paid. If, on the other hand, the quota is met or exceeded then it is very unlikely that funding for any additional NHS treatment will be made available as the PCT have already spent their dental budget for the year.
What this means for our patients is that if we use up our NHS quota early, e.g. in January 2007, then we will be unable to provide any further NHS treatment until the 1st April when our quota is reset. In the meantime, we would only be able to treat children on a private basis.
At this point, it is impossible to guess whether this will come to pass, although it is a strong possibility. If it does turn out to be the case then we will contact any patients affected and offer them the option to either continue with treatment on a private basis or to defer booked appointments until April 2007.
Maternity Leave
Congratulations to our hygienist, Lisa Harwood who is expecting her second child later this year. She will be leaving us on maternity leave in late July and intends to return around Easter next year. In the meantime, we have been very fortunate to secure the services of Mrs Julie Oakland who will be working with us on Tuesday and Friday mornings while Lisa is away.
Julie qualified as a Dental Hygienist in 1986 and has been working in private practice locally for several years now. She brings with her a wealth of experience and will prove an invaluable addition to the team here at the Barley Mow.Obviously, as Julie’s hours will differ from those that Lisa usually works, some rescheduling of appointments will be necessary.
We apologise for the unavoidable inconvenience that this will cause to many of our patients and appreciate your patience and understanding at this time.
New Regulations for NHS Orthodontics!
With the new NHS contract for general dentistry came a new contract for dentists who carry out orthodontics (straightening teeth with braces).
Under old NHS regulations a dentist could treat anyone that they felt could benefit from a course of treatment with braces. Under the new arrangements, however, NHS treatment will only be available to those who qualify as having severely crowded or misaligned teeth. This means that many children who would have previously qualified for orthodontic treatment under the NHS will no longer be eligible. In these cases, treatment will only be available privately. A private course of treatment for a child could be expected to cost in the region of £1800 but the price will vary based on the complexity of the case.Your dentist will try to give you an indication as to whether your child will be eligible for NHS orthodontic treatment at the time of referring but this should not be taken as a definite. The final decision will rest with the treating orthodontist.
Colouring Competition
To celebrate National Smile Month the Barley Mow ran a children’s colouring competion.
Many great entries were received and the finalists are shown on this page.
Each lucky child won a rechargeable electric toothbrush ( except Tom, who at 3 is a bit young, so two Colgate child toothbrushs were given instead
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