Essex Local Dental Committee Message Board

Essex Local Dental Committee
(www.essexldc.org.uk)
Chairman : Bryan Harvey, Steepways, Cornsland, Brentwood, CM14 4JN
Tel : 0844 553 2043, e-mail : harveybd@the-ddu.com
Hon. Secretary : Tony Clough, Roxwell House, Roxwell, Essex, CM1 4NL
Tel :01245 248553, e-mail : clogdent@btinternet.com
Assist. Secretary : Clinton Foreman, Slough House, Danbury, CM3 4LX
Tel :07718 900909, e-mail : cforeman@gotadsl.co.uk
Treasurer : Mark Preston, 90a High Street, Canvey Island, Essex, SS8 7SQ
Tel : 01268 683739, e-mail : mark@markpreston.co.uk

Minutes of meeting held 14.11.11. at Chelmsford Golf Club, Chelmsford, Essex.

Apologies : D.Ranson, C.Roome, A.Copsey, J.Jordan, R.Davey, N.Pandiya, L.McAlister

Minutes of previousmeeting: Approved.

Matters arising : Nil.

Treasurer – Current a/c: £39,132; Reserve a/c: £51,494. Total expenditure last year: £71,023 (this year, so far: £30,084); total income last year: £62,608 (this year, so far: £45,948). There are a number of outstanding expenses to be paid which is likely to equate to previous expenditure. It was agreed to maintain a balance across the accounts of ~ 1 year’s income (similar to the policy of other LDCs) and to fund Nick Barker’s attendance at GDPC meetings (as happened for David Murphy). PAYE has been implemented for honorarium payments and all account details from 2004 can be found on the website in the members’ section.

Chairman – BH thanked AC, CF and MP for their sterling efforts as Essex LDC officials, and this was endorsed by the members present.

Secretarial – CF handed out the prototype IGA (Idiots’ Guide to Acronyms) https://www.essexldc.org.uk/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=the_iga_idiots_guide_to... and BH spotted a ‘typo’ on the second line. IGA to be posted on the website and updated regularly by members. NB. You may need your IGA for these and future minutes.

CQC : AC said members have been bombarded with e-mails and noted that the fiasco suffered by the dentists has resulted in the doctors’ registration being delayed 1 year (at least). Mark Shackell said that practice inspections will be every 2 years and that ‘exemplar’ inspections (when a practice opens its books with no recourse) are currently taking 3 days. Piers Lambert has received an apology from CQC re a complaint he lodged against one of their inspectors (reported previously) and BH warned that CQC are looking for ‘mental health’ issues re some registered managers (requesting medical records).

Local Professional Networks: MS gave an excellent presentation of the potential shape of the new NHS following proposed reforms as explained by Caroline Humphries (Commissioning Manager EoE) at the recent EoE LDC Secretaries meeting on 8.11.11. (see website for minutes). CF, who also attended that meeting, produced an overview of the proposed reforms, together with copies of her presentations entitled ‘Making it happen across our region’ and ‘Contract Transition – update’ (also available on the website). Ms highlighted that commissioning is to be about consistency across the country where local PCTs/FF could not alter standards but could decide how much treatment will be provided, and bemoaned the apparent increase in bureaucratic layers. BH asked if there would be a centralised performers list – unknown at this stage – and was concerned how LDC could input the LPN. MS said that it is the responsibility of the HWB to provide a CDPH, and that Essex LA will have to buy CDPH sessions from PHE (this will ensure consistency, at least). AC wondered if LDC could finance some type of clinical adviser for the shadow HWB and it was agreed to write to request representation. There will be 2 FOs (same as PCT clusters) and 1 LPN in Essex. Monitor’s role is still developing around ensuring fiscal stability in the NHS/Hospital Trusts.

Pilots: AC had invited S. Denny who is undertaking a pilot in SE Essex, but he was unavailable. MS said that the BDA website has an interesting blog by ‘piloteers’, where IT cost, the use of DTPs and the length of time required for oral health assessments for new patients are hot topics. The BDA has advised participants not to
rush these assessments, even if this creates problems with appointment access, lest the 30 minutes necessary be reduced later by DH. Jose Eusebio, who is an associate in a pilot practice, said that the assessment takes less time on subsequent appointments. CF said that there were potential problems treating patients whose oral hygiene did not improve (apart from acute/emergency treatment), and BH felt it was heading down ‘Clinical Pathways’ for treatment planning.

OOH at Xmas: Most PCTs send letters checking access, and there seems to be good coverage, apart from N Essex. Private access is also available.

Pension Changes: Most large corporates have produced new contracts for associates who became ineligible for superannuation contributions after 7.11.11.; the problem now may be smaller corporates.

Ortho : Most PDS contracts have a 2 year extension, after which they will go to tender. MS said that the 18 week rule is likely to disappear. There has been some sharp practice in SW Essex by the PCT withdrawing UOAs.

National Committee Elections : There have been 4 nominations for GDPC (Sanjay Shah, Payal Bhalla, Margaret Andi and Nick Barker), of whom only NB is known to the LDC, and one candidate is thought to work for a corporate. BH suggested contacting members to inform them that NB is the LDC’s nominee. Ballot papers to be received by 9.12.11., with results declared on 12.12.11.

AOB : CR and NB sat on S Essex Dispute Resolution Board recently over UDA value reduction by the PCT. One case was upheld in the PCT’s favour (due to significant underperformance over the past 2 years), whilst the other went the way of the performer (due to the PCT having agreed one rate, then trying to reduce it by 12%).
CF said that the recent EoE LDC Secs. had decided to suggest to John Milne of the GDPC that ‘Seniority Pay’ (now withdrawn due to the age discrimination law, despite deductions having been made from dentists’ remuneration all their working lives) should now be based on the number of years served within the NHS.
The LDC Officials’ Day is to be held in London on 2.12.11. with a dinner the night before. AC and CF will attend and report back in due course.
CF reminded members that the NCB proposals for testing LPNs for dentistry, pharmacy and opthalmics are on the website.
BH wished everybody a Very Merry Christmas, and all members returned their seasonal best wishes.

Next meeting : Monday 16th January 2012 7pm at Chelmsford Golf Club.