Dental contracts bite into the budget

Apr 13 2007 By Alison Dayani, Birmingham Mail

BIRMINGHAM health trusts have run up more than £2 million in debts due to problems with a controversial new contract, it emerged today.

A year after the new dental contract and charges came into force, primary care trusts across the city confirmed the changes had led to a cash crisis.

Eddie Crouch, from Birmingham Local Dental Committee, claims it is due to more patients going private for basic treatment, meaning less income from NHS patients than the PCTs were expecting.

"PCTs have not made enough money under the new contract and it is causing them extra pain," said Mr Crouch.

"The Government gives PCTs half a pot of money for dentistry and the rest comes from patient charges, but the sums were not worked out properly and not enough money has come in from patients.

"This is because the cost of a check-up has gone up and many patients have gone private instead, while patients sticking with NHS dentists are on benefits and are exempt from paying.

"So there is a shortfall and the trusts have to find money from somewhere else to pay for it."

A PCT spokeswoman said North and East Birmingham PCT is predicting a £1 million shortfall from patient charges, South Birmingham PCT another £1 million, while Heart of Birmingham PCT predicts a £110,000 shortfall.

"This is the first year of the new system of dental charging and we will not know the final position until July," said Birmingham PCTs official.

"Estimates indicate income from patient charges is likely to be lower than was initially forecast, but the PCTs in Birmingham continue to manage this within their overall dentistry budgets.

"This is not affecting our ability and commitment to continue to invest in and improve services."

Families in Sutton Coldfield complained they have particularly struggled to get treatment after the large Victoria Road Dental Practice left the NHS to go private last year.

Birmingham North PCT chiefs said the contract had only just gone out to public tender and they were now considering which dentist to employ.