Minutes of Full LDC Meeting – 6:30 pm, Wednesday 25th Feb 2015

White Horse Pub – Storrington

Guests: Stephen Lambert-Humble, Emma McFarlane, AJ Ray-Chaudhuri

Apologies: Matt Botha, Jodie Oliver

Attendees: E. Lazanakis, T. Hancock, M. Ohara, A. Pitchforth, M. Ellis, G. Billis, D. Bryan, P. Mellings, P. Patel, A. Patel, A. Tarnowski, P. Patel, C. Hallworth, D. MacPherson, R. Walker.

1) Old Persons Project: Brief by S. LH:

  • Process started 18 months ago in Medway, now in Surrey and next in Sussex.
  • Carehome project to provide training for carers in carehome settings, over 1500 care homes in SE with over 75000 residents.
  • Pilots have been set in motion, research fellow has been hired in order to evaluate results.
  • Therapist appointed to act as principle link to provide training.
  • Website set-up which contains resources, to go live in May.
  • Co-ordinated with NICE (which will be providing a report on Oral Health Care in care-homes), CQC (which will be looking to include OH training in inspection regime of care-homes) and Education Deaneries.
  • Practices will be invited to “adopt a care-home” locally
  • Also involves Foundation Trainees
  • Trainers will provide training to practice teams, who will then engage with care-homes locally
  • Project also foresees training provided to pharmacists.
  • Funding is mainly available to provide training and Oral Health Promotion, does not envisage provision of treatment at this stage. (noted that 30-40% of people in care-homes can actually travel to a practice)
  • West Sussex LDC currently holds funding of £20000, which is to be returned for use in Old Persons Project.
  • SHL requests to be introduced to any OH Promotion provider organisations in order to engage with.
  • We will wait appr 2 months for SHL to revert back to us with progress report and next steps.
  • SHL has initiated this project using contacts in House of Commons

2) Update on House of Commons communication regarding vote of no confidence in the GDC

  • Wrote to Nick Gibb, who forwarded to Dan Pelter, who responded on behalf of the MP.
  • Unfortunately the GDC is an independent body over which the parliament has no jurisdiction, he sympathises with our concerns.....

3) AJ Ray-Chaudhuri: Brief

  • Brighton restorative consultant, 2 days per week
  • For Urgent cases, including H & N Cancer, Trauma, Cleft cases, they will accept referrals regardless of West Sussex address. Otherwise we need to go through the RMS.
  • Implant criteria unchanged from 1996, only exceptional circumstances.

4) Officials Day Update

  • Full Report on the website
  • Prototypes introduced , looking at 2017/18 for first change to contract
  • Case described where DAFS were challenged d/t overzealous interpretation of contract data
  • Case in N. Wales described where the practice successfully challenged a 6 figure claw-back which involved rejecting claims where an examination was not carried out.

5) Executive membership vote result – G. Billis elected

6) PDLP and PAG changes

  • PAG not yet formed, but will involve seperat PAGS for 1) Kent and 2) Surrey/Sussex
  • PDLP will include one for all of Kent/Surrey/Sussex
  • Members who sit on committees will require special training
  • Kent has had training – 2 day course
  • Pay @ £50 per hour, but does not include travel time
  • LDC may be asked to top up to guild rate for members attending
  • Stand –in attendees cannot currently attend meeting in the place of a committee member who cannot attend. This is a problem because 75% attendance is required to have quorum.
  • PAG has recently closed 20 cases, another 60 in process; some delayed awaiting GDC investigation outcomes.
  • No communication currently between reps of PAG and PDLP
  • PAG is supportive, PDLP is next level up. PDLP has independent status to PAG and therefore there is little transmission of information between 2.
  • Karen Crossland currently overseas both committees.

7) JO wishes to step down, TH has accepted resignation. AP has volunteered to take notes at future meetings. Good luck to JO (and to AP!!!)

8) PCSS has relinquished role of countersigning DBS applications for new dentist joining performers list. Not currently known who will carry out this function in future.

9) Area Team Update

  • Staff had to reapply for old jobs. All re-appointed accordingly
  • Despite merger with Kent, current LAT will still service only Surrey & Sussex
  • West Sussex only patch still using RMS
  • Surrey receiving practice visits

10) Secretary’s Report

  • Enquiry from company wanting to optimise effectiveness of website. No interest.
  • Nikki Mardell: provides MCA training to dentists, to advertise her services on the Website
  • Nikki Mardell to be considered as potential speaker for 2015/16 Core CPD Event
  • LPN: Up and running with own website and twitter account.

 2 meetings held, Terms of reference established

 4 pathways established: Restorative, special care, orthodontic, oral surgery

 3 tiers of dental qualification to be established

 OS and Orthodontic pathways quite advanced

 March 2016 orthodontic practices to re-apply for contracts

 LPN would like to appoint a seat to a DCP. Main candidates are nurses, as they are only DCP’s with heavy commitment to NHS. The basic premise is to write to practices to ask interested DCP’s to form a stakeholder group, who will then elect a rep onto the LPN. 10 meetings a year. The cost of the LDC funding the DCP is approximately £1000 per year, split between 3 LDC’s of Surrey/Sussex. Agreement reached in principal. To be raised at channel meeting.

11) CORE CPD Event for 2015.

  • To aim for Feb 2016, possibly April 2016 to fall into next contract year
  • November full LDC meeting to be AGM – 18th November 2015.
  • Possible topics include, MCA training, Restorative Consultant talk, Safeguarding, Medical Emergencies, Oral Cancer, Complaints handling.

12) Treasurers Report

  • Last year’s accounts approved – posted on website
  • 2014/15 we are to request a levy of £50000.
  • Random payments still being received due to function still being carried out by BSA. But PM is able to make sense of it.
  • When new contracts are set up, the levy payments are not carried forward to new contract, resulting in loss of levies. Eventually these amounts are retrieved, but with delay
  • Surrey and East Sussex to keep levy same this year
  • Core Day costs were approximately £5500, with sponsorship received of £1000, resulting in loss of £4500. Proposed to be held every 2nd year d/t cost and work involved. We are to approach East Sussex LDC to hold next event in conjunction with them. To offset costs by looking at increased sponsorship, but be weary of sponsors agenda. Also proposed nominal fee in order to discourage non-attendance. Also proposed non-levy payers be made to pay for attendance. Further discussion to be held.
  • Ortho contracts are PDS, and therefore not paying levies. PM to raise matter with Joe Clark from the orthodontic MCN.
  • PM to request final invoice from JO

13) GDPC

  • Victor Wiffen stepping down. TH to step up.
  • Recent GDPC report on website

14) Channel report

  • Meeting held on 8th Dec 2014. Minutes on website

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

15) MOS service for Chichester Hospital still proceeding, but slowly. F2’s still getting limited experience because of presence of RMS and MOS contracts.

16) RMS not accepting communication by phone or e-mail, only written letter, causing yet further delay.

17) Communication Forum – to be held every other year. Minutes of meeting 20th November 2014 on website.

18) CMEC phantom head facility not being used extensively. Rumour that it may shut down. AJ Ray-Chaudhuri to look into it further and perhaps offer courses there.

19) Emma Macfarlane co-opted. Proposed AT, seconded GB.

20) Non-attendees to LDC meetings to be removed from LDC. 3 consecutive meetings not attended results in automatic removal.

21) P. Patel : Special Care Unit in Haywards Heath will be accepting referrals directly and can bypass the RMS completely. Offer G.A. / Domicilliary and LA/sedation services, each requiring individual referral forms to be made available on website once they have been circulated.

22) DM – There will be changes to regulations governing transfer of orthodontic patients from one practice to another in different areas. Currently the practices are BOTH receiving 100% of the fees, which are clearly unsustainable and is to be addressed.

23) Friends and Family Test. – Most likely cannot be implemented by 1st April.

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