Dentists hit out at drop in payment for NHS work

Dentists have accused the Scottish government of "pulling away the life support" from the service with plans to reduce payment rates.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has told them they will receive an additional 30% for NHS fee claims from August.

But this is reduced from the previous 70% uplift in fees, according to the British Dental Association (BDA).

The "multiplier" payment was put in place in April to support the recovery of the dental sector following Covid.

Dentists were forced to close when the first lockdown began in March 2020 before gradually offering more services as restrictions lifted.

It left the sector with an enormous backlog, and lengthy waiting lists.

The Scottish government said the additional payment was designed to cover the costs of infection control measures and lower levels of dental activity.

David McColl, chairman of the BDA's Scottish dental practice committee, criticised the decision to reduce the multiplier which "helped ensure NHS dentists received fees for care that actually covered their costs".

"Slashing them will leave colleagues churning out dentures at a loss while thinking twice about their future," he added.

Mr McColl said: "Ministers are playing with fire, pulling away the life support from a service millions depend on."

"Cuts have consequences," he added. "The Scottish government promised free NHS dentistry for all. Short-sighted policies like this will likely result in the exact opposite, and stark oral health inequalities will only widen further."

The row erupted as the health secretary hailed the "substantial improvements" in access to dental services since Covid restrictions eased.

The number of appointments from examinations with NHS dentists over the period April to June is expected to reach about 700,000 - almost double the total from the first three months of this year when tighter Covid restrictions were in place.

In April alone there were more than 232,000 examination appointments - an increase of 85% on the monthly average of 125,000 appointments that were recorded over January to March.

Mr Yousaf said that the interim arrangements for the multiplier would support progress in tackling the backlog in routine care and return to more normal levels of activity.

He continued: "Considerable progress has been made in NHS dental services and oral health improvements - progress that was interrupted by the unique challenges of the pandemic.

"It is our ambition to regather that momentum and ensure we have a NHS dental service that is unequalled in the world today."

Chief Dental Officer Tom Ferris said: "Dentistry teams faced really incredible challenges in preventing the spread of coronavirus, that really reduced the number of patients they could see. So it is wonderful to see that so many more people have been able to see their dentist.

"Speaking to colleagues, I know that teams are working really hard to accommodate patients and provide appointments, opening early or later to fit in with patients busy lives.

"We will continue to work with our partners to provide the NHS dentistry sector the support it needs to recover from the significant challenges it has faced."