NHS England and CDO issue latest preparedness letter for primary dental care
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 13th July 2020
Sara Hurley, Chief Dental Officer for England, and Matt Neligan, Director of Primary Care and System Transformation at NHS England, have issued the latest preparedness letter for primary dental care. This is the fifth in a series of regular updates to general dental practices and community dental services regarding the Covid-19 situation, all of which can be found here.
The latest instalment begins by expressing gratitude for the ongoing commitment to quality care provided by the industry as a whole, before making the following statement:
In light of the emerging evidence and recommendations for Infection prevention and Control, we continue to review the risk management measures for dental practices and will keep you informed of any developments. However, the potential for localised and regional resurgence of Covid-19 will endure. To this end, regions will retain their urgent dental care capability, and practices should be prepared to comply with any localised public health measures and restrictions.
Regional directors and public health leads will provide the necessary direction and practices are reminded to remain connected with their regional teams.
Hurley and Neligan go on to discuss various topics, including: the ongoing resumption of dental services, covering patient management and guidance and standard operating procedures; financial and contractual arrangements for dental services in England, covering contractual arrangements and further assistance; PPE and fit testing, including respirator fit testing and dental care provision PPE and IPC requirement; and workforce issues, such as risk assessments and the impact on dental training.
