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Seeking clarity on Omicron variant

We have sought urgent clarity from officials on the implications for dentists working to new Standard Operating Procedures, following the Prime Minister’s press conference on the new Omicron variant.

Given the flexibilities within the SOP we are clear there is nothing to prevent practices from making their own decisions about the approach they adopt, in line with the hierarchy of controls.

We have also raised with NHS England officials that the emergence of the Omicron variant is likely to have an impact on NHS delivery and should be a factor in decision-making about contractual thresholds from January 2022.

We are now collating questions from members that the Chief Dental Officer for England, Sara Hurley, will be responding to at a webinar on Wednesday. Please send your questions to [email protected].

We will be seeking the same clarity as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland move to publish their own updated SOPs.