By Jaimie Kaffash
6 May 2010
Reforms aimed at improving access to NHS dentists in England could be at risk of funding cuts despite their potential to save money in the long term, the architect of a major review has said.
Professor Jimmy Steele’s 2009 review led the way for reforms to the profession, which were aimed at increasing access to NHS treatment and reducing the incentives for dentists to treat fewer patients by 2011.
But Steele warned that these reforms could be undermined by potential funding cuts. He said that politicians and primary care trusts had sometimes made the mistake of applying market economics to the issue.
‘Good value is not more dentistry at a lower price,’ he told Public Finance.
‘If cuts are going to have to be made to dental services, there are a number of ways you can do it.’
These included decreasing the types of treatments provided or asking patients to pay higher charges for certain things, he said.
But he added: ‘Unfortunately, I think they will make wholesale cuts to PCTs with no guidance and I think that could be a mistake.’
Steele also warned that money could be taken away from preventative care and the time it takes to manage disease risk.
‘These are the things that are most important but that the public are going to notice the least – they will notice the higher bill,’ he said.
His comments came as Conservative Party research, released on May 3, warned that since 2007, 7.5 million people had failed to get an appointment with an NHS dentist, and 4.5 million of these had given up trying.
The Tories also claimed that patients were being ‘exploited’ to the cost of £117m a year through ‘unnecessary’ follow-up appointments.
6 May 2010
Reforms aimed at improving access to NHS dentists in England could be at risk of funding cuts despite their potential to save money in the long term, the architect of a major review has said.
Professor Jimmy Steele’s 2009 review led the way for reforms to the profession, which were aimed at increasing access to NHS treatment and reducing the incentives for dentists to treat fewer patients by 2011.
But Steele warned that these reforms could be undermined by potential funding cuts. He said that politicians and primary care trusts had sometimes made the mistake of applying market economics to the issue.
‘Good value is not more dentistry at a lower price,’ he told Public Finance.
‘If cuts are going to have to be made to dental services, there are a number of ways you can do it.’
These included decreasing the types of treatments provided or asking patients to pay higher charges for certain things, he said.
But he added: ‘Unfortunately, I think they will make wholesale cuts to PCTs with no guidance and I think that could be a mistake.’
Steele also warned that money could be taken away from preventative care and the time it takes to manage disease risk.
‘These are the things that are most important but that the public are going to notice the least – they will notice the higher bill,’ he said.
His comments came as Conservative Party research, released on May 3, warned that since 2007, 7.5 million people had failed to get an appointment with an NHS dentist, and 4.5 million of these had given up trying.
The Tories also claimed that patients were being ‘exploited’ to the cost of £117m a year through ‘unnecessary’ follow-up appointments.
