FDS response to commissioning NHS dental services

Commenting on the NHS Commissioning Board Securing Excellence in Commissioning NHS Dental Services publication, the Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons Kathyrn Harley, said:

‘We welcome the publication of Securing Excellence in Commissioning NHS Dental Services – the bold new national model for dental commissioning.

A key factor to the success of a national commissioning process will be the delivery of consistent quality care locally.

The current climate of change in the healthcare landscape provides a unique opportunity to improve access to specialist dental services and reduce the variations in care. Achieving this potential will require the close involvement of the profession; therefore we welcome the emphasis on clinical engagement.

We agree that it is critical to provide patients requiring advanced treatment with seamless continuity of care between the primary and secondary sectors. We strongly support the view that it is essential to maintain the right competencies and skills at each level of a patient’s treatment, and the regular monitoring of care processes will be central to this.

We also commend the authors of the report for recognising the need to utilise the skills of the entire dental team, within a specialist-led service that provides high quality and safe care regardless of the setting.

To this end, the Faculty has been engaged in the development of care pathways ensuring that decisions are based on best evidence and agreed quality standards. This collaborative work will continue particularly in relation to outcome measures and the training of professionals.

We look forward to lending our expertise to the commissioning of dental services that puts patients at the heart of decision making and supports those providing their care.’

Notes to editors

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