Mainstream or sidelined? The choice for dentistry.
The 1998 white paper 'The New NHS: Modern, Dependable' announced changes to the way in which healthcare will be commissioned in the future, stimulating debate on how dentistry fits in with these developments. In this paper the authors examine first the mechanism by which healthcare is commissioned under the existing arrangements and then look at how this might develop in the future. The authors conclude that oral health will continue to be a priority for the NHS and therefore dental care will continue to be included in the portfolio of commissioned healthcare. This will however necessitate a continued dialogue between commissioners and providers and the opportunity for dental services to stay within the mainstream of the NHS by working within the new system has to be seized by the profession.
Morris
A J
AJ
School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham.
Marchment
M D
MD
D003729:Dental Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006285:Health Planning; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013218:State Dentistry; D006113:United Kingdom