Welsh Dental Committee Newsletter: July 2024
A summary of key issues discussed in the Welsh Dental Committee meeting, including campaigns and news.
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Welsh Dental Committee (WDC)
In April 2024, the WDC shared our first newsletter with the profession, detailing our new mission statement, our goal to represent all professionals working within dentistry, and some helpful information around sustainability in dentistry.
In June 2024, the WDC met once again and discussed data around the dental workforce, HEIW’s strategic workforce plan, and development of the Dental Access Portal (DAP) for Wales.
Adam Porter - Chair of WDC.
Dental Access Portal (DAP)
The DAP is a forthcoming digital centralised solution for Welsh residents to enrol for an NHS dental practice. The project is managed by Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) Primary Care Planning, and a steering group is overseeing its development.
The intent is to upload data from all allocation lists held by Welsh health boards, to create a central portal and standardise the approach across Wales. A pilot is underway in Powys Teaching Health Board.
Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW)
HEIW’s purpose is to work with partners to develop a skilled and sustainable workforce that improves care and population health and they do this through:
- education and training
- leadership development and culture
- workforce development and transformation
- workforce planning
HEIW 2023 to 2024 dental highlights:
- Wales Enhanced Recruitment Offer (WERO) for Dentistry Foundation Training (DFT): a local recruitment scheme to fill difficult-to-recruit posts in rural locations.
- Over 450 Quality Improvement (QI) projects and audits undertaken.
- New sustainability QI initiative launched 170 CPD courses delivered.
- 3,500 dental professionals accessed training.
- “Once for Wales” accreditation for enhanced skills in Oral Surgery.
- Dental Speciality Training posts increased by 55%.
- Dental Nurse Diploma programme launched with 15 trainees.
HEIW 2024 to 2025 priorities:
- Retention.
- Strategic workforce plans for target areas.
- Delivering on education and training commitments.
- Compassionate leadership.
- Quality.
- Workforce data improvements.
- Digital futures.
Dental strategic workforce plan
There are significant issues in developing the future workforce including the legacy of Units of Dental Activity (UDAs), unequal distribution of the workforce, the NHS/private mixed economy, increasing costs of materials and equipment, limited pipeline of UK trained dental professionals, high patient expectations and the influence of social media.
The future vision is one of dental teams that are optimised to work together to address the needs of their local populations.
This requires attractive, flexible career pathways with access to high quality education and training; development of digital capabilities; a dental workforce which works closely with other primary care colleagues; professionals who are supported to work at the top of their scope of practice; broader leadership opportunities; and the use of data and technology.
Questions
If you have any queries or thoughts about the work of the WDC, please contact CommitteeSecretariat1@llyw.cymru.