NHS Dentistry Petition

Toothsmith

Optimist wrote: »

Interestingly prior to the new contract my dentist wanted to see me every 6 months now it would seem she wants to see me every 3 months for a "clean and polish" Given that she is a very pretty little blonde it would be nice to think she is after me for my body but the more practical and cynical me thinks its a way to increase her income !

I'm afraid it probably IS your body she's after!!

The new contract is a fixed-price thing.

The dentist gets a set monthly amount of money, and has to reach a target number of 'Units of Dental Activity' or UDAs by the end of the financial year.

A clean and polish will only earn her 1 UDA, and the £15.50 you pay her will actually come off her monthly cheque from the PCT.

If she goes more than 4% under her UDA target, she will get her funding cut next year, if she goes over her UDA target, she gets no more money but may apply for extra funding next year (But how many PCTs have spare cash these days??!!). Either way the extra UDAs done this year are her free gift to the NHS!!!!!

So - it might just be that she's a bit short of UDAs that she wants to see you more often, it might be that she desires you carnally, or it might just be that she's trying her damnedest to do her very best for you despit the appaling system she has to work in!

(If it's the latter, then the fact she wants to see you so often means she thinks you have quite a grubby mouth, so get brushing a bit better before you take in a bunch of flowers!!!)

If she's charging privately to do these extra clean & polishes, then she's technically breaking the rules of her NHS contract. But of she's really pretty, I bet you don't want to report her!!!

KDH_2

Does this government care about NHS dentistry????

Read these press links from today's papers and make up your own mind.........

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,,2031466,00.html

http://shrunklink.com?tzh

http://shrunklink.com?tzk

Optimist

I note not even our veritable chancellor uses an NHS dentist however it seems they don't count that as its not the same as going to a private doctor they say

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-6472274,00.html

The stench of hypocrisy in this government is breathtaking !!

bobbyron

KDH, your opening sentence should have ended after you 4th word.

UKTigerlily

Might be abit late but i've signed!

Bagpuss741

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/health/tm_method=full%26objectid=18769682%26siteid=50082-name_page.html

pulp

Tooth pain patients must go to "jury" panel


http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/yorknews/display.var.1278308.0.tooth_pain_patients_must_go_to_jury_panel.php

Toothsmith

I'm in that PCT area, and actually had to write to this panel a couple of weeks ago.

A patient of mine with an infected root that needed extracting in hospital (It was the remaining root of a wisdom tooth that hadn't come out with the rest of it!)

1st degree muppetry.

I'm wondering whether I should send the PCT a bill for the extra letter that I have had to write!

Solicitors don't have any problem charging for extra letters.

pulp

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/display.var.1287901.0.0.php

Toothsmith

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/nhsdentistry/

We're into the last few days of this petition now.

1600+ signatures isn't bad, but if you know of anybody else who might want to sign it - please forward this link to them.

Cheers everybody.