Oral Health | Clinical and Risk Asessment | NHS regulations and their impact on delivering treatment options

NHS regulations and their impact on delivering treatment options
Session overview
Description
The session compares the national NHS dental contract retained in Scotland and Northern Ireland with the new local contract in England and Wales. It looks at the effect of the different regulations on the delivery of NHS dental care.

Learning objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• list relevant NHS regulations by geographical area
• compare the national contract with local contracting
• describe the effect of regulations on both national and local contracts
• outline where certain regulations might restrict treatment options
• describe the effect of the different regulations on the delivery of NHS dental care

Prior to April 2006, NHS dental care was delivered through a national contract which was broadly similar in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, although there were a few local variations. The regulations formed the basis of individual dentist’s contracts with the NHS.

In April 2006, England and Wales adopted new regulations based on local commissioning, whereas Scotland and Northern Ireland retained the national contract. In England and Wales, the regulations now provide a framework within which Primary Care Organisations (PCO) can develop their own contracts. Increasingly contracts will be different across the country, although all must comply with national regulations.