We have requested an urgent update on progress being made to implement this year’s pay award and associated recommendations in a joint letter from BDA NI Chairs to Health Minister Robbie Butler. Despite the 54th Report of the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) being published in March, the absence of an agreed Executive budget has once again delayed implementation of the pay recommendations in Northern Ireland.
These equate to a 3.5% pay uplift for hospital dentists, and 3.75% for Community Dental Services (CDS) dentists, and the same on the pay element for general dental practitioners.
We have also raised two additional recommendations to governments included in this year’s DDRB report relating specifically to dentistry:
A review of pay and progression for salaried dentists working in CDS, and
An index of dental costs for General Dental Services (GDS).
Dedicated dentists here have once again been let down by delay which has blighted this process.
Clarity is needed on when dentists will receive the pay uplifts which have been promised to them.
We have requested to meet with Minister Butler specifically around this issue. We need to be assured that every action is being taken to expedite payments at the earliest opportunity.