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The drafting of Directions amending the General Dental Services Statement of Financial Entitlements and the Personal Dental Services Statement of Financial Entitlements

The Minister for Health and Social Services agreed to the drafting of the General Dental Services Statement of Financial Entitlements (Amendment) Directions 2012 and the Personal Dental Services Statement of Financial Entitlements (Amendment) Directions 2012, and for the Directions to be signed at official level.

Date of decision / Dyddiad y penderfyniad:

8 May 2012

Statement of information / Datganiad gwybodaeth:

The implications of the UK Government budget announcement with regard to the pay of NHS dentists and doctors in Wales for the 2012/13 pay round, meant that the Welsh Government, along with the Department of Health and the other devolved administrations, decided that it would not be necessary for the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body (DDRB) to make any recommendations on the need for any earnings uplift for Dental (and General Practice) independent contractors. UK Governments have everything they needed from past DDRB recommendations on the formula for considering any uplift required to contractual payments. This coupled with our respective determination to secure continued efficiencies from continued investment meant that the UK Governments would, after further discussion with the professions, determine any uplift to contract payments for 2012/13.

The DDRB were not invited to play an ongoing role for 2012/13 on the need for any earnings or contract uplifts for independent contractors in Wales, although the Welsh Government will continue to provide information to the DDRB about recruitment, retention and other relevant matters. The Welsh Government therefore made decisions on the gross uplift to dental contracts based on the efficiency assumption that it wished to apply and the evidence on non-staff expenses. The Minister for Health and Social Services agreed to an increase in the value of NHS dental contracts of 0.5% for 2012/13.  

The Welsh Ministers have the power to make the General Dental Services and Personal Dental Services Statement of Financial Entitlements (Amendment) Directions 2012 pursuant to sections 60, 66 and 204 of the NHS (Wales) Act 2006.

These Directions amend the Statement of Financial Entitlements to General Dental Services and Personal Dental Services 2009; to uprate the contract values for dentists by 0.5% following the consideration and agreement by the Welsh Government. The Minister for Health and Social Services is being asked to agree the uprated values for 2011/12 and for the Directions to be signed. They come in to force on 1 August 2012 and will be retrospective with effect from 1 April 2012.