University Studies NHS Dental Contracts
The University of Liverpool has begun a study into the dental contracting of the National Health Service, better known as the NHS.
The study is estimated to take three years and will concentrate on determining what constitutes a successful dental contract. The University of Liverpool has stated that that the study will determine the true meaning of success for a dental contract by studying a number of policies.
Researchers will study to understand the role and significance of trust, balance of power – or the imbalance of power – patient demand and the impact of political concerns.
Dr Rebecca Harris, leader of the research team, has an extensive list of experience when it comes to the research of dental issues.
The dental contract system in question is a fairly new development which was implemented by the Department of Health in April 2006. While it aims for higher quality dentistry with emphasis on prevention over cure, it has been accused of being flawed by many dental experts, as well as being completely shunned by the British Dental Association.
One of the concerns dental professionals have is the control and power balance that the contracts now give, favouring government boards and companies rather than dentists and the dental practices themselves.
A number of issues to be addressed will be the inflexibility of the contracts in different areas of dental settings, as well as the role of the bureaucracy within dental professions and what type of motivations certain incentives within contracts give to dentists.
The study began in October of last year and is set to research a number of areas including case studies of practices, both dental and medical, and questionnaires concerning explanatory models; as well as a review of “tracer issues”.
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