Dentists to join other frontline NHS workers to boost staff numbers in new hospitals
An army of dental professionals is being assembled to boost staff numbers in new hospitals as part of a nationwide effort to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The chief dental officer, Sara Hurley suggested that dentists were being asked to help other frontline NHS workers tackle a rising tide of patients needing hospital treatment. One plan is to redeploy dental staff to new hospitals, including the NHS Nightingale Hospital, which is currently under construction at London’s Excel Centre.
Non-essential dentistry has been put on hold, freeing up dental professionals to help out. The aim is to enable those who want to assist to use their skills to boost parts of the NHS that are under the greatest pressure.
Health chiefs are also redrawing this year’s contracts to stabilise cash flow, ensure patients have access to emergency dental care and to enable dentists who aren’t currently working to join other parts of the NHS. There is a suggestion that those who refuse to be redeployed would lose pay as a result of the revised contract. The move has been criticised by the British Dental Association.
Chair of the BDA, Mick Armstrong, said that many people are “ready and willing” to support the effort, but claimed that signing up should be voluntary and that vulnerable people should be protected.
Ms Hurley said that she expected the majority of practices to support the measures and asked professionals to provide contact details in order to respond to “national or local calls for help.”
The NHS has already confirmed that over 11,000 retired NHS workers are coming back to join the frontline, and final year medics and student nurses will also be recruited to bolster numbers in the coming weeks.
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