Tag: Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh

New dentists required to deliver NHS care under UK Government plans

Consultation asks whether newly qualified dentists should commit to delivering a minimum amount of NHS work after graduating or repay some training fees

  • Proposals would require dental graduates to work in the NHS for several years after graduating or repay their training fees
  • Part of Westminster government and NHS plan to recover dentistry and boost the dental workforce through 40% training expansion

Newly qualified dentists could be required to deliver NHS care for several years after they graduate under a government consultation being launched yesterday.

Training an individual dentist can cost up to around £300,000, of which costs in the region of £200,000 are not repayable by the student.

However, a growing proportion of dentists are opting to go straight into private practice or are choosing to deliver little to no NHS work shortly after completing postgraduate dental foundation training.

Of more than 35,000 dentists registered with the General Dental Council in England, just over 24,000 delivered some NHS care in England in 2022 to 2023. This means nearly one-third of registered dentists are not contributing to NHS dentistry and may be working solely in private practice.

Under its consultation, which will run for 8 weeks, the government is asking whether newly qualified dentists should commit to delivering a minimum amount of NHS dental care for a minimum number of years after graduating, and whether they should repay some of the public funding invested in their training if they do not.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said: “I want to make access to dentistry faster, simpler and fairer for everyone – and part of this is ensuring that dentists are supporting the NHS with their skills and expertise.

Taxpayers make a significant investment in training dentists, so it is only right to expect dental graduates to work in the NHS once they’ve completed their training.

“This builds on our dental recovery plan, which set out how we will create up to 2.5 million extra appointments this year alone and is already showing results with an extra 500 practices providing appointments.”

Thursday’s proposals form part of the government’s overall plan to accelerate the recovery of NHS dentistry from the COVID-19 pandemic and reform how NHS dentistry operates.

They build on the aims of NHS Long Term Workforce Plan to expand the dental workforce and improve access to NHS dental care, especially in under-served parts of the country. 

The UK government believes working in the NHS will give dental graduates the best start to their careers, by giving them the broadest range of experience, great support from strong teams of dental professionals and the most comprehensive training.

Experience in NHS dentistry helps to produce well-rounded clinicians who can work alongside different professions and deliver high quality and safe patient care, and can be supplemented by additional work in private dentistry. The government believes this balance is better for our skilled dental workforce and better for the patients they treat.

NHS dentists are currently delivering a greater volume of NHS treatment than the year before, with ‘courses of treatments delivered’ increasing by 23% in 2022 to 2023, compared to the previous year.

Primary Care Minister Andrea Leadsom said: “I want to thank our hard-working dentists for their efforts in treating more and more patients over recent years and helping us improve access to care.

“Through our dental recovery plan, we’re helping the sector recover from the pandemic and making NHS dentistry a more attractive career choice.

“Today’s proposals will ensure dental graduates benefit from the broad experience and comprehensive training of working in the NHS, while also delivering value for money for the taxpayer.”

There is currently no requirement for dentists to work in the NHS following the completion of their training. In contrast, a graduate medic in the UK must undertake a minimum of one year of foundation training to register as a doctor, followed by an additional year of foundation training and at least 3 years of general practice specialty training to become a GP.

Jason Wong, Chief Dental Officer for England, said: “Dental services were severely impacted by the pandemic, and it is a priority for the NHS to improve access, so it is easier for people to see a dentist.

“We launched our dental recovery plan earlier this year to deliver millions more appointments across England – and boosting the workforce is one step we can take to achieve this.”

Neil Carmichael, Executive Chair of the Association of Dental Groups, said: “We welcome the chance to engage with this consultation and ensure the NHS benefits from the skills of our graduate dentists.

“We need to see more trained dentists entering the profession and we will work with the government to ensure these proposals reflect the sector’s mixed economy and considers the needs of both NHS and private dentistry.”

Louise Ansari, CEO at Healthwatch England, said: “We welcome the opportunity for the public to have their say about these long-term proposals to address dental workforce issues, especially as access to NHS appointments continues to be one of the main issues we hear about from people across the country.  

“We also look forward to seeing separate government proposals on reforming the NHS dental contract in the coming months, as set out in the dental recovery plan.

“In the meantime, NHS bodies that plan and fund dentistry across England should take concerted and imaginative action to ensure people in greatest need can get dental care quickly.”

The launch of the consultation is the latest milestone in the delivery of the Westminster government’s dental recovery plan.

Since the plan was published in February, the government and NHS have worked to:

  • introduce a new patient premium, supporting dentists to take on new patients – with more than 500 more practices saying they are now open to new patients compared to January
  • launch the ‘golden hello’ recruitment scheme to incentivise dentists to work in under-served areas
  • raise the minimum units of dental activity (UDA) rate to £28 this year, making NHS work more attractive and sustainable
  • open a consultation on proposals to make it easier for overseas dentists to work in the UK

Responding to the proposal that Dental graduates in England could be compelled to work in the NHS work or face repaying some training costs, Prof. Grant McIntyre, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, commented: “As most dental graduates already start their careers in the NHS and contribute to NHS patient care as an undergraduate student and during their early professional career, we are uncertain of what practical benefits this proposal will have.

“Most dental graduates have also accrued significant personal debts to complete their dental training, usually in excess of £100,000. Therefore, we believe this proposal is likely to make NHS dentistry even more unattractive for dentists to provide NHS dental care as their career develops.

“As per our election manifesto, we believe a more constructive approach is needed that focuses on creating a positive working environment to encourage sustained delivery of NHS practice. This means reforming the current dental contract, improving workforce planning and a renewed emphasis on preventative health and reducing health inequalities.

“We believe positive rather than punitive steps are required to lift morale, improve dental recruitment and retention, and improve access to services for the benefit of patients and the population.”

Students prove they’re a cut above the rest in surgical skills competition

A talented medical student from the University of Newcastle has come out on top in a prestigious national surgical competition.

It is the 2nd year running that a student from the University of Newcastle has taken home the top prize.

The acclaimed competition, run by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) in partnership with Medtronic and now in its seventh year, sees medical students from across the UK and Ireland demonstrate their surgical talents in a series of challenges.

Tom Adamson, a keen climber and violinist, came first in RCSEd’s celebrated competition, which saw over 1300 students apply to take part, with 40 qualifying for the Grand Final.

Tom said: “I think all those hours of bouldering and violin have finally paid off.”

“I was thrilled to take home the top prize on the day, especially when considering I’m amongst some incredibly impressive peers from across the country’s top medical colleges.

“The RCSEd reps were incredibly insightful and patient with us on the day. I learned a lot throughout the process, and it has really got me considering surgery as a specialism. I’d strongly urge any medical students to give next year’s competition a go.”

Eric Dos Santos a final year Venezuelan student at the University of Liverpool, finished in second place, while Natalie Mojica, fourth year Canadian student at the University of Birmingham, finished in third. 

Professor Angus Watson, Member of the RSCEd Council and organiser of the Surgical Skills competition, has taken inspiration from his recent deployments to the Ukraine and Gaza, introducing two new humanitarian surgical skills tests, with the aim of inspiring the students to consider humanitarian healthcare as a profession.

The competition comprised three stages, with the first round consisting of an online quiz and virtual surgery challenge, which whittled down the top performers from each medical school to move onto the next stage.

In the second round of the competition, organisers decided to keep the innovative virtual stage that was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, when RCSEd partnered with artificial body part manufacturer OrganLike and medical technology leader Medtronic to create a special “surgical theatre in a box” which students used to carry out a variety of surgical challenges.

The final was held in RCSEd’s distinguished grounds on Nicholson St in the Scottish Capital’s Old Town, where the 40 finalists competed in a series of challenges such as suturing bananas, anatomy tests, laparoscopic skills, and opportunity to practice with a combat tourniquet and orthopaedic trauma.

Professor Angus Watson commented: “Another thrilling final – the response we received from students across the UK last year was incredibly heartwarming.

“This past year, our primary aim was to widen the competition’s horizon to welcome all medical students, fostering a keen interest in the surgical field. Our goal was to highlight the critical role of basic surgical skills, not just for those on a surgical path but for a broad spectrum of medical careers.

“The enthusiasm and calibre of entries we received was truly inspiring. It’s my hope that we’ve encouraged numerous students to contemplate surgery as a viable and rewarding career option. Considering the exceptional quality of submissions, our winners have every reason to be exceptionally proud of what they’ve achieved. I extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in making this event a success.”

Surgeons launch campaign to tackle sexual misconduct in healthcare 

NHS Education for Scotland and NHS England Education & Training back awareness raising work 

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) has launched a powerful UK-wide campaign to raise awareness and encourage zero tolerance of sexual misconduct in healthcare. 

The ‘Let’s Remove It’ (#LetsRemoveIt) campaign has been activated in response to the alarming findings uncovered by the Working Party on Sexual Misconduct in Surgery (WPSMS) and the Surviving in Scrubs group, which highlighted the harassment and sexual abuse faced by many in surgery. 

The campaign will be driven by a newly formed action committee within RCSEd, The Hunter Doig Group, named after two pioneering women in surgery and consisting of 30 female representatives dedicated to wiping out sexual misconduct and serving as mentors, advocates, and guardians of a new era of respect within the medical profession. 

It comes as a report by the WPSMS highlighted how a staggering 89% women and 81% men have witnessed sexual misconduct in the surgical profession in the last five years. 

The ‘Let’s Remove It’ campaign will include: 

·       An online hub of resources and signposting for support 

·       Hard-hitting posters and billboards around UK hospitals 

·       An updated Code of Conduct developed for members of RCSEd  

·       A series of webinars on dealing with sexual misconduct, women in surgery and related topics 

Clare McNaught, Vice President of RCSEd, who is leading the campaign, said: “This behaviour simply must not happen and the culture that has allowed it to happen must be wiped out. 

“Our campaign says ‘Let’s Remove It’ – we are all in this together and can unite to eliminate sexual misconduct in surgery.  

“Sexual misconduct in any form is an assault on dignity and encompasses a range of unwanted actions that create an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for survivors.   

“This can include sexual comments or jokes, displaying sexualised pictures, inappropriate emails, texts or WhatsApp messages, unwelcome physical contact, enhanced career opportunities offered for sex, sexual assault, and rape. 

“It’s also important to understand that although sexual misconduct is predominately experienced by female staff, it can affect any healthcare worker.” 

RCSEd President, Professor Rowan Parks, said: “We’re acutely aware of our role as a College in supporting cultural change to ensure a safer, more inclusive workforce where respect is non-negotiable. 

“By launching our ‘Let’s Remove It’ campaign, we say ‘No more’. No more turning a blind eye. No more accepting the unacceptable. This must be a watershed moment for our profession.”  

NHS England Education and Training and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) are backing the campaign’s roll-out.  

Sheona MacLeod, Director of Education and Training in NHS England, said: “We are working hard to improve the learning and working environment in the NHS and are very supportive of this campaign that aims to remove sexual misconduct from surgical teams.

“The NHS needs to welcome surgeons from all backgrounds and genders and harmful cultures must change.”  

Professor Emma Watson, Executive Medical Director at NES, said: “We are very supportive of this important campaign that aims to remove sexual misconduct from surgery in Scotland.

“Education and training in our NHS are about more than technical skills – respectful, safe, inclusive conduct is just as crucial and a culture that does not support this must be wiped out.” 

The campaign focussing on sexual misconduct builds on RCSEd’s ongoing work to eradicate bullying and undermining in surgery and highlight the destructive impact such unacceptable behaviours have on clinicians and patient care.   

Initiative launched to match international surgical students with Scottish training posts

A MAJOR new initiative has been launched placing international surgical trainees into posts throughout the UK’s NHS Trusts and Boards – with Scotland set to benefit. Continue reading Initiative launched to match international surgical students with Scottish training posts