The seven Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across the South West will go-live with NEC Rego in 2026 to deliver a single dental electronic referral service (e-RS) for the region.
The rollout will manage referral activity across 12 dental pathways and support services for around 5.5 million people. It will cover more than 900 dental practices, 17 acute providers and over 1,000 GP practices, with approximately 160,000 dental referrals expected to pass through the system each year.
Moving to a single referral service will give the region a consistent approach to the quality and triage of referrals, as well as clearer visibility on demand on services and capacity. It will also become a reliable source of information for longer term planning and commissioning of dental services.
It will help reduce variation in care, strengthen clinical decision-making and give commissioners the data they need to identify pressure points and prioritise service development. By reducing the number of referrals that are returned or redirected, the service is expected to cut avoidable rework for dentists and hospitals and help patients reach the right care faster.
The rollout comes at a time when national discussions continue to highlight the need for clearer referral routes and better use of data in dentistry. A recent NHS Confederation report on dental access echoed these concerns, noting persistent variation in referral pathways, limited visibility of demand and the pressure created by preventable “failure demand” – challenges that a unified, region-wide referral service directly responds to.
Matthew Jerreat, South West Regional Chief Dental Officer, NHS England and Restorative Consultant Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust: “Introducing a single referral service across the South West will reduce variation and give clinicians a simpler, more consistent route into specialist dental care. It will also give us greater confidence in the quality of referral information, which helps improve triage and reduces delays for patients.”
Chris Bell, Co-Clinical Director Bristol Dental School and Chair, South West Oral Surgery Managed Clinical Network: “Demand for dental services continues to rise, and having real time visibility of referral activity will make a significant difference to how we plan and commission provision. A unified system will support more consistent decision-making and help ensure patients are directed to the right service first time.”
Six ICBs – Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, Devon, Gloucestershire, and Somerset – will go live in 2026, with Dorset, where NEC Rego is already in use, joining the unified South West service in 2027. Implementation planning with local commissioning teams is now underway to support a coordinated rollout across all seven ICBs.
David East, Director, NEC Rego: “We are delighted to support the South West as the region adopts a single dental referral solution with NEC Rego. A unified system will help patients reach the right care faster and give clinicians and commissioners a clearer view of demand. It also strengthens clinical decision-making, reduces avoidable rework and helps providers plan services with greater confidence. We look forward to working with all seven ICBs as the rollout progresses.”
The contract runs for an initial three years, with an option to extend for a further two. With this contract, NEC Rego now supports 22 of England’s 42 ICBs, giving the solution more than half of the national market for digital dental referrals. It builds on established use in regions including the South East, the West Midlands, North West London and several ICBs across the East Midlands.
