Working with you to make Highland the healthy place to be

Transcription

1 Assynt House Beechwood Park Inverness, IV2 3HG Telephone: Fax: Textphone users can contact us via Typetalk: Tel MINUTE of MEETING of the HIGHLAND AREA DENTAL COMMITTEE College of Nursing, Raigmore Hospital, Inverness 25 May pm Present: In Attendance: Mr David Macintyre, Chairman Mrs Bea Wallace, Secretary Mrs Helen Devenie, CDO Mr Kenneth Gill, GDP Ms Anne Gornall, CDS Mr Adrian Hart, Hospital Member Mr Kevin Leeming, GDP Mr Chris Parkin, GDP Mr Stuart Robb, GDP Mrs Barbara Simpson, Board Committee Administrator 1 APOLOGIES & WELCOME Apologies were received from Mr Philip Dunford and Mr Ken Scoular. The Chairman welcomed newly appointed members, Mr Kenneth Gill, Ms Anne Gornall, Mr Adrian Hart and Mr Stuart Robb to the meeting. 2 DRAFT MINUTE OF HIGHLAND AREA DENTAL COMMITTEE AGM HELD ON 14 APRIL 2005 Members noted the draft minute of the Highland Area Dental Committee AGM held on 14 April ELECTION OF AREA DENTAL COMMITTEE OFFICERS FOR 2005/06 The Chairman confirmed that in September 2005 the existing office bearers will have completed their four year term of office and have to stand down. As a result, newly appointed members were invited to attend the meeting to participate in elections and the following positions were made: Chairman Mr Adrian Hart, Hospital Member - proposed by Mr Kevin Leeming - seconded by Mrs Helen Devennie Vice-Chairman Mr Kevin Leeming, GDP - proposed by Mr Chris Parkin - seconded by Mr Adrian Hart Working with you to make Highland the healthy place to be

2 Secretary Ms Anne Gornall, CDS - proposed by Mrs Helen Devennie - seconded by Mr Kevin Leeming The Chairman invited the newly appointed members to stay for the remainder of the meeting. 4 MINUTE OF MEETING HELD ON 23 FEBRUARY 2005 The minute of the meeting held on 23 February 2005 was approved. 5 MATTERS ARISING 5.1 Medical Investigations on behalf of Dentists A copy of a letter dated 4 March 2005 from Dr Stephen Cross, Consultant Physician/Cardiologist to Ms Helene Devennie, Community Dental Officer was circulated. Dr Cross had agreed that the Echocardiogram Service should not be overwhelmed by referrals for echocardiography in patients with heart murmurs awaiting dental treatment. A history of rheumatic fever per se was not an indication for an echocardiogram if no murmurs were present. The Chairman reported on a letter to Mrs Devennie, dated 16 May 2005 from Dr Peter Dolan, Secretary, GP Sub-Committee stating that some correspondence had crossed on this topic but that it had come up for discussion again at the GP Sub-Committee meeting on 28 April It had been suggested that dentists contact the patient s GP directly for either confirmation or denial of a murmur. If a GP confirmed to a dentist the presence of an uninvestigated murmur, the dentist should, in those circumstances, have the option of a direct referral to Cardiac Ultrasound Services. GPs would also have an interest in the results of any such investigation and should be informed of the result. It was hoped that this would address the problem of both more accurately targeting antibiotic prophylaxis and also avoiding the impact of unnecessary GP appointments. The topic was discussed further and it was felt that some aspects of the correspondence did not meet the concerns of GDPs. It was agreed that a meeting be arranged with Dr Cross for further discussion. The Committee agreed that Mr Leeming, Mrs Devennie and Mr Macintyre meet with Dr Cross to discuss a protocol for further medical investigation of patients with heart murmurs, the aim being to reduce unnecessary administration of prophylactic antibiotic. 5.2 NHS Dentistry Funding Members discussed the terms of a letter to Dr Ken Proctor, Medical Director (Development) regarding dentistry funding in view of the new GDP contract announcement made in March Members were concerned at the inadequate level of funding for NHS dentistry and were aware that this was a national problem. Issues raised included grants for new surgeries and the increase of salaried dentists. Members agreed that Mr Gill should talk to Dr Proctor, in the first instance and that Mr Leeming would write to Dr Proctor expressing the Committee s views, thereafter. 2

3 The Committee a remitted to Mr Gill to discuss NHS Dentistry Funding with Dr Ken Proctor, Medical Director (Development). b remitted to Mr Leeming to write to Dr Proctor, thereafter, expressing the Committee s views. 6 DOMICILIARY CARE POLICY Mrs Wallace confirmed that a letter had been written to Ms C Lush, Clinical Dental Manager, as requested at the Committee s February meeting. Concerns regarding the Domiciliary Care Policy produced by Ms Rhona Brown, Senior Salaried General Dental Practitioner had been outlined. Mrs Wallace agreed to forward a copy of the letter to members. For the benefit of new members, it was explained that the proposed Policy, applicable only within NHS Highland, had been tabled at the Committee s February meeting. The Policy proposed that a risk assessment be carried out on every domiciliary patient prior to treatment within the home environment. The Committee remitted to Mrs Wallace to circulate to members, a copy of the letter to Ms Lush, regarding the Domiciliary Care Policy. 7 DENTAL DIRECTOR POST The Chairman reported that the proposed interviews in May for the post of Dental Director had been cancelled on the advice of the Chief Dental Officer. No further progress had been reported. Members discussed the role of the Dental Director. The Chairman agreed to write to Dr Alison Graham, Medical Director, on behalf of the Committee, stressing the need to encourage applications from individuals with a broad base of training/experience such as those who have followed training as Consultant in Dental Public Health. The Committee remitted to the Chairman to write to Dr Alison Graham, Medical Director, on behalf of the Committee, stressing the need to encourage applications from those who have followed a training pathway for Consultant in Dental Public Health. 8 DEVELOPING DENTAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN IN HIGHLAND The Chairman spoke to an interim report from Ms C Lush, Clinical Dental Manager, dated 23 May 2005 as submitted by via Mrs Alex Fraser. Ms J Foley, Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry planned to start a monthly clinic at the HSDU, accepting patients for referral. A four hour session would be provided as well as the allocation of patients to the new seniors with an interest in paediatric dentistry, the SpR and any other CDO/SGDP who wishes to be involved as part of their professional development. It was hoped that CLEFTSis work would also be undertaken. The priorities for referral would be trauma cases and children with developmental abnormalities. A start date of September 2005 was anticipated but there was a need to verify dental and administrative support prior to this. It was also confirmed that the SpR in paediatric dentistry started in Highland on 30 May 2005 and would spend 90 days of her three year programme with the service. Ms Foley was presently drafting a letter to inform all dentists 3

4 in Highland of this service, taking account of the fact that protocol would be tight, as there was a need not to jeopardise compliance with waiting lists. During discussion members raised various concerns, including the need to see a referral protocol, open access from GDPs, and the availability of GDP training. 9 NHS HIGHLAND PROPERTY STRATEGY A report on NHS Highland Property Strategy by David Blair, Head of Capital and Property Planning, as submitted to the Area Clinical Forum on 31 March 2005 together with letter dated 11 April from Mr W McKerrow, Chairman, Area Clinical Forum to Chairs of the Professional Advisory Committees was circulated. Members were informed that the NHS Highland Property Strategy was an important developing issue for the Board as there was little doubt that the shape of the property portfolio held by the Board would change over the coming years. This was partly due to service redesign changes but also because of the constraints of the poor condition of some of the properties currently in use, or disuse, by NHS Highland. It was important that a clinical consensus was built on the way forward in terms of the general direction of travel and the reshaping of service delivery and also utilising property assets appropriately. It was important that clinicians had a clear idea of the way forward and views from individual professional advisory groups were sought prior to or at the next Area Clinical forum in early June. Members agreed that Option 5, of the NHS Highland Property Strategy, was the most suitable and remitted the Chairman to confirm this by letter to Mr W McKerrow. The Committee remitted to the Chairman to write to Mr W McKerrow, Chairman, Area Clinical Forum to confirm the Committee s support for the use of Option 5 of the NHS Highland Property Strategy. 10 FRAMEWORK FOR REGIONAL PLANNING A report on Framework for Regional Planning by Dr Annie Ingram, Director of Regional Planning & Workforce Development, North of Scotland Planning Group and Dr Roger Gibbins, Chairman, North of Scotland Planning Group as submitted to the Area Clinical Forum on 31 March 2005 was circulated. A letter dated 11 April 2005 from Mr W McKerrow, Chairman, Area Clinical Forum to Chairs of the Professional Advisory Committees was also circulated. After discussion, members applauded the aims of the report and hoped they would come to fruition although there had been no evidence of joint working in the past. The Committee remitted to the Chairman to write to Mr W McKerrow, Chairman, Area Clinical Forum to confirm that the Committee applauded the aims of the Framework for Regional Planning report and hoped they came to fruition. 11 ACTION PLAN FOR IMPROVING ORAL HEALTH AND MODERNISING DENTAL SERVICES IN SCOTLAND SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE DOCUMENT, EDINBURGH 2005 Members confirmed that they all had a copy of the Action Plan for Improving Oral Health and Modernising Dental Services in Scotland. 4

5 12 ANY OTHER BUSINESS 12.1 Proposed Dental School in Highland The Chairman tabled copies of a Sunday Times article dated 22 May 2005 entitled New dental schools to target crisis in Scotland. The article indicated that a dozen dental schools were to be set up across Scotland to tackle the deepening crisis caused by the shortage of National Health Service dentists. These teaching and treatment units, which would be able to treat thousands of NHS patients each year, were to be opened in areas hardest hit by the shortage, Inverness being one of them. Members were unaware of this proposal. Although applauding the principle, it was felt that a number of questions remained unanswered, such as funding, how the unit would be managed and who would undertake the training. The proposed unit may help the recruitment situation with dentists but the retention problem had also to be addressed. The Chairman suggested that the Committee write to the Deans of Dundee and Glasgow Dental Schools, Professors Bill Saunders and Jeremy Bagg, asking for their comments on the proposal. It was agreed that the proposed Dental School for Highland should be discussed further and that it be an agenda item for the Committee s next meeting. The Committee agreed that the Proposed Dental School for Highland should be an agenda item for the Committee s next meeting Draft Policy and Procedure for the Use of Locum Doctors and Dentists A draft Policy and Procedure for the use of Locum Doctors and Dentists together with letter dated 16 May 2005 from Dr Lesley Anne Smith, Head of Clinical Governance & Risk Management was circulated. The Committee s comments on the draft document were sought and in particular, the implications of implementing such a policy. Members appreciated the necessity of such a document and highlighted a number of issues as follows: How would locum performance be monitored in one month? Locum recruitment. Re-registration costs prohibiting retired dentists from becoming locums. The Chairman noted that comments had to be returned to Dr Smith by 30 May 2005 and agreed to undertake this. The Committee remitted to the Chairman to pass its comments to Dr Smith by 30 May DATE OF NEXT MEETING The next meeting of the Area Dental Committee will be held on either Wednesday 24 August 2005 or Wednesday 21 September 2005 from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm in the Post- Graduate Centre, Raigmore Hospital, Inverness. Members to confirm by . The meeting closed at 9.10 pm (Confirmation was subsequently given that the next meeting of the Area Dental Committee would be held on Wednesday 21 September 2005 from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm in the Postgraduate Centre, Raigmore Hospital, Inverness.) 5