The Association of Dental Groups (ADG), the UK’s leading representative body for Dental Groups across NHS, Private and community-based services, has welcomed the Government’s NHS Modernisation Bill announced in the recent King’s Speech. The Bill sets out major reforms to improve patient care through investment, digital modernisation and clearer lines of accountability. The ADG believes these reforms present a significant opportunity to strengthen dentistry’s integration within the wider health system, something the Association has long called for.
The ADG is particularly encouraged by three measures of direct relevance to dentistry:
- The creation of a Single Patient Record, which could finally allow dentistry to link properly with the rest of the health system, improving diagnosis, prevention and continuity of care.
- The transfer of NHS England’s functions into the Department of Health and Social Care, a move that aligns with the ADG’s ongoing work on governance reform and the foundations already laid for an upcoming ADG report on this issue.
- Strengthened accountability for Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), which the ADG views as essential to improving local commissioning, reducing unwarranted variation and ensuring dental access is prioritised consistently across England.
Neil Carmichael, Executive Chair of the Association of Dental Groups, said: “The NHS Modernisation Bill marks an important moment for dentistry and outlines three key points that the ADG has been urging stakeholders to grasp. Firstly, the creation of a Single Patient Record is a breakthrough we have been urging for years. This is the missing link that will finally allow dentistry to connect with the rest of the health system, improving diagnosis, prevention and long‑term outcomes for patients.
“Secondly, the decision to bring NHS England’s functions into the Department of Health and Social Care also has the potential to streamline decision‑making and strengthen democratic accountability. We have already prepared the foundations for an ADG report on this issue, and we look forward to contributing constructively as the detail emerges.
“Then, thirdly, strengthening the accountability of Integrated Care Boards is vital. We have been clear that ICBs must take their responsibilities for dental access seriously, and this announcement is a welcome step toward ensuring consistent, transparent and effective commissioning across the country.
“Dentistry must be fully embedded in these reforms. The ADG stands ready to work with Government to ensure that modernisation delivers meaningful improvements for patients and the dental workforce alike.”
