Press release: NHS Employers responds to the British Dental Association (BDA) announcement that proposals to modernise salaried dentists' contracts have been accepted by a ballot of its members.
04 Dec 2007
NHS Employers expressed their delight today that proposals to modernise salaried dentists' contracts have been accepted by members of the British Dental Association (BDA).
The new contract is the result of negotiations between representatives from NHS Employers and the BDA, and the positive outcome of the ballot means that changes can start to be implemented from the beginning of 2008.
Eric Rooney, NHS Employers' lead negotiator and Consultant in Dental Public Health in Cumbria and Lancashire said:
"We are delighted that the proposals have been accepted by BDA members and that the new contract for salaried dentists can now be implemented.
"The new contract is designed to provide a clear and flexible career structure which will improve the quality of salaried dentists' working lives and help secure modernised dental services for patients, who will also benefit from the more efficient deployment of skills, higher levels of competence and improved recruitment and retention rates encouraged by the contract.
"The changes to pay and career development structures will also bring salaried dentists into line with other clinical staff in NHS. The new contract will come into effect from the beginning of next year."
Notes for editors
- The agreement comprises a new single pay spine underpinned with defined competencies for dentists, senior dentists and managerial dentists. An enhanced career development structure including job planning, objective setting, appraisals and personal development planning aims to enable dentists to identify their training requirements and agree them with their employer. In addition, an indicative training allowance of £750 per dentist is proposed to assist in training and development. Further details of the contract and new pay scales are available at: http://www.nhsemployers.org/primary/primary-1071.cfm
- The agreement also makes a number of key changes to the current terms and conditions of service, including working hours, annual leave and notice periods.
The proposals affect NHS staff working in England.
- The agreement reached between NHS Employers and the BDA includes a single pay spine covering three competency bands; Band A (dentist), Band B (senior dentist) and Band C (specialist dentist and managerial dentist). Competencies for bands A, B and band C managerial dentists have been developed as part of this agreement. Clinical competencies for specialist dentist posts will be those defined by the Royal Colleges and accepted by the General Dental Council for entry to the specialist register.
- Each pay band is divided into six pay points. Bands A and B have a 'gateway' at the third pay point. To reach and pass these pay points the dentist should demonstrate the competencies related to their post, as well as taking part in appraisal, job planning and objective setting.
- Band C managerial dentist posts will be weighted to reflect the relative complexity of the local service. These arrangements will replace the current supplements and allowances covering such issues as the multi-district service and teaching hospital supplement.
Case study.
- Sarah is a dentist on Band A pay point 4. She has a meeting with her appraiser to complete her annual appraisal and job planning process. Over the past year Sarah has been working to meet the objectives set in her previous job plan following assimilation onto the new pay scale. She has also been collecting evidence in her portfolio of maintaining the competencies of the post.
- At the meeting Sarah and her appraiser go through the appraisal and job planning documentation. All the objectives are met and she has demonstrated that she is maintaining competency. New objectives are set and the job plan reviewed. Her appraiser recommends that Sarah should now progress to pay point 5 on Band A.
Contact details
The press office provides a comprehensive service to keep journalists informed about the work of NHS Employers.
If you have a media enquiry, please contact the press office team:
For out of hours media enquiries, please contact the duty press officer on 07880 500726.
Back to media centre
