A new report published today (23 May) by the Health Select Committee on Education, Training and Workforce Planning has called for the urgent clarification on the new arrangements for training, funding and delivery within the NHS, saying the new plans lack crucial detail.
The British Dental Association (BDA) has called for these issues to be addressed and is concerned that no consideration has yet been given to how dental providers and employers will fit within the new local Provider Skills Network being proposed.
The Health Select Committee welcomes the plan to create Health Education England, alongside Local Education and Training Boards, but says that clear and detailed information about how these bodies will operate and work together in the new system needs to be provided. It also states that placing a levy on all healthcare providers (including the private sector) to pay for training would be fairer and more open.
However, the BDA has argued that shifting the financial burden of education and training to small providers is neither feasible nor fair. The BDA has said that the specific training needs of the small dental workforce, who are trained in specialist establishments, must be addressed on a national basis.
The report also states that innovation in skills mix and clinical roles is crucial to achieving a more efficient and flexible workforce, but the BDA is concerned that the size and diversity of the dental workforce has not been taken into account, and has called for any new policies to be grounded on solid evidence.
The report is available from the Health Select Committee’s website.
The BDA's response is available in the Government consultations section
