DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service on 8 April 2009
- Dentists and
their teams invited to engagement events countrywide -
Dentists and their teams from across the country are being asked
to share their views on how to improve access and quality of NHS
dentistry at a series of engagement events this spring, Professor
Jimmy Steele, chair of the independent review team for NHS
dentistry, announced today.
Since its appointment in December 2008, the review team has been
investigating why there are variations in access to dentistry in
England and how the NHS can deliver continuous improvements in the
quality of care.
Dental professionals are invited to join NHS commissioners and
patient representatives at any of the five engagement events being
held in Newcastle, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and London
during April and May.
At the events, Professor Steele will discuss the emerging
findings of the review with people involved in delivering and
improving NHS dental services, inviting them to contribute to the
development of recommendations.
Professor Jimmy Steele, chair of the Independent Dentistry Review
Team said:
"I want to continue to listen to the views of dentists and
their teams, patients and NHS staff and to take their advice on
improving access, promoting prevention and ensuring NHS dentistry
of the highest quality.
"The NHS dentistry review is giving me and the review team
some very useful insights into what matters most to both patients
and the dental profession. I'd like to encourage dentists
and their teams to share their opinions at these events and help
us start to develop our recommendations."
The results of the study, 'A Review of NHS Dentistry in
England' will be published this summer.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1. The engagement events will be held as follows:
London Tuesday 21 April 2009
Newcastle Wednesday 29 April 2009
Manchester Thursday 7 May 2009
Bristol Tuesday 12 May 2009
Birmingham Wednesday 13 May 2009
2. For further information on the engagement events and to
register your place, please email dentistryreview@glasgows.co.uk
or log on to http://www.glasgows.co.uk/dentistryreview
2. If you would prefer to contribute to the NHS dentistry review
in writing, please send your views and recommendations to Jimmy
Steele at dentistry.review@dh.gsi.gov.uk or Professor of Oral
Health Research School of Dental Sciences Newcastle University
Framlington Place Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4BW
3. Professor Jimmy Steele is the Chair in Oral Health Services
Research at the School of Dental Sciences in Newcastle. He is a
consultant in Restorative Dentistry for Newcastle Hospitals Trust.
His research interests are in population oral health and health
services. He has also worked on the 1998 Adult and 2003 Child
Dental Health Surveys and on the national Diet and Nutrition
Survey in the UK. He has specific expertise in the evolving
trends in oral and dental health and how these impact on service
needs, including extensive work with primary care.
4. The independent review team for NHS Dentistry comprises:
* Professor Jimmy Steele, Chair in Oral Health Services Research
at the School of Dental Sciences in Newcastle
* Eric Rooney, Consultant in Dental Public Health, Cumbria PCT
* Janet Clarke, Clinical Director of Salaried Dental Services,
Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT
Tom Wilson, Director of Contracts, Milton Keynes PCT
5. For further information on the NHS independent dentistry
review, or to read Professor Jimmy Steel's blog, see: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Primarycare/Dental/DH_094048
6. Access to NHS dentistry is improving following record
investment, an extra 655 NHS dentists in 2007/08 than last year
and a continuing increase in the amount of services being bought
by the NHS.