BDA Gives 'Qualified Welcome' To NHS Dentistry Budget Increase, UK

Main Category: Dentistry
Article Date: 20 Dec 2007 - 4:00 PDT

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The British Dental Association (BDA) has given a qualified welcome to the publication of the Operating Framework for the NHS in England for 2008/09. The document announced a budget of £2,081 million for the commissioning of primary care dental services, net of patient charge income, in 2008/09. This represents an increase of 11 per cent on the 2007/08 budget. The document also sets primary care trusts (PCTs) the objective of ensuring year-on-year improvements in the number of patients accessing primary care NHS dental services.

Peter Ward, Chief Executive of the BDA, said:

"For too long investment in NHS dentistry has failed to keep pace with funding for other areas of the NHS. The BDA is pleased to see that the profession has at last been listened to and that NHS dentistry is to receive a much-needed financial boost.

"The real challenge now is ensuring that the money is spent putting patients, rather than targets, at the centre of NHS dentistry."

Notes

1. The Operating Framework for the NHS in England for 2008/09 is available here.

2. The British Dental Association (BDA) is the professional association for dentists in the UK. It represents over 20,000 dentists working in general practice, in community and hospital settings, in academia and research, and in the armed forces.

http://www.bda.org