David Murphy    Â
David Murphy BDS who worked as a GDP with me for many years on North Hill in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s died on 27/02/2024.He had been ill with Parkinson’s for many years.He was the Dental Practice Adviser for North Essex for many years and a proactive member of the LDC. I remember him as a good friend, a good colleague and a gentleman.
Pat York
Sad to hear that we have lost such a nice, gentle and humble human being as David.He was always so passionate about dentistry and the profession in Essex owes him a great deal.
Tony Clough           Â
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Barry TurnerThe funeral will be held at 1pm on Wednesday 27th March at Chelmsford Crematorium.
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LDC Meeting 4.3.24.Please see:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Report of LDC Meeting 4-3-24Â (login required)
Footnote from CF:
I hosted a meeting for the Deputy Lieutenant for Hertfordshire and her committee last week.
They wanted to know about NHS dental delivery, and I started with a look back to the New Contract originally sold to us as a capitation scheme within a ‘high trust environment’, but which morphed at the last moment into a contract that was imposed against the wishes of the profession, involving:
Units of Dental Activity – in other words, more running inside the hamster wheel without getting anywhere, and no meaningful prevention
reducing >450 items of treatment down to 3 Bands - with a cap on the amount that could be delivered, thereby prohibiting NHS access once the cap was reached
coercion to sign a complicated contract, or no longer be allowed to provide NHS care
effectively transferring ownership of NHS practices to the Primary Care Trusts without any money changing hands.Â
I explained the Bands paying different rates to different dentists – sometimes in the same street - for identical treatments, and that the dentists received the same fee for one filling or one crown, as for 10 fillings or 10 crowns.
I mentioned the witch hunt against dentists falsely accused of fraudulent claims, and how some had paid money just to get the authorities off their case - money which was never returned when proven innocent.
I described how many practices have to subsidise NHS delivery with money earned from private practice. I told of the countless pilots and prototypes to remove UDAs that have been trialed over the ensuing 18 years to great success, but how NHSE still insists on continuing with a contract deemed ‘not fit for purpose’ by the Health and Social Care Select Committee.
All were visibly shocked, and one lady said that this was, ‘…just like the Post Office scandal’, which I think, on reflection, with all the bullying, using our own money to keep the system afloat, and the stubborn refusal to replace a system that it has been agreed is failing, is a fair analogy.
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Dental Recovery Plan - Webinar Recording
Anyone wanting access needs to login to the website and register/book for the recording, in order for it to be added to their profile.
See:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dental Recovery Plan (webinar recording) (bda.org)
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      March 2024 NHS Dental Services Bulletin for England
Bulletins - providers and performers | NHSBSAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
In this month’s edition, you’ll find information on:
DCP changes
amending an FP17 or FP17O from 2023/24
Compass Replacement system - support needed
dental practices to confirm NHS website information by 31.3.24.
HC2 and HC3 certificates updates
updated contact details
Compass downtime for year end processing
Orthodontics PAR score reminder
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          Request from The British Fluoridation Society
The British Fluoridation Society (BFS) is an action group run by volunteers that promotes water fluoridation across the four home nations
We are active at national and local level in providing support when consultation on new schemes occurs and ensuring that policymakers understand the benefits that fluoridation can bring
Such support includes providing advice, training, and support for your LDC and your staff
This will be invaluable as local fluoridation schemes are implemented.
We rely on donations and support from members and dental bodies such as the LDCs; that way the organisations conducting consultations can be seen as impartial.
Donations will go towards making local spokespeople media-ready, tracking responses to the consultation and helping supporters respond to the consultation process (rallying the troops)
If you are interested in being involved donating then please contact us via our website where there is an area for donations: go to https://bfsweb.org/donations/Â for online; for other ways please get in touch at info@bfsweb.com
     Dr Ray Lowry (Hon Secretary and Treasurer BFS)
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Kind regards,
Clint Foreman
(Asst. Sec. Essex LDC)