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policytom.bsky.social
Head of Policy and Research, British Dental Association | Interested in health policy, and social and economic policy more generally | All views expressed here are my own
25 posts 184 followers 192 following
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Want to work in a thinktank? But worried it's only for "usual suspects"? Think again -- and sign up for webinar--this Weds 330-6pm--from @resfoundation.bsky.social & loads of other top tanks all looking for hidden talent www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/worki...

submitted 19 hours ago • 0 comments

🆕 Are NHS #dentists doing less NHS work? With many people struggling to access #NHS dental care, Liz Fisher explores the concerning drop between 2018/19 and 2022/23 in the number of hours per week that an NHS dentist might be spending on NHS work. 👉 https://buff.ly/4ibDzn2

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

Good to see the Health Secretary pressed on role of reform and investment in #Newsnight. NHS dentistry is the prime example of where we need fundamental change, supported by increased funding, to turn the service around. Can’t have one without the other. Reform & investment must go hand in hand.

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments

NHS dentistry has ceased to exist for millions. A toxic mix of austerity and failed contracts has fuelled this crisis. We now have health professionals delivering NHS care at a loss. Why the Treasury is the No.1 barrier to saving this service. 👇 www.bda.org/news-and-opi...

submitted 18 days ago • 7 comments

Analysis from my team @thebda.bsky.social shows dentists and dental practices are subsidising loss-making NHS treatments to the tune of over £300m per year www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments

The PM says "we're reforming the contract." That "we're delivering 700,000 urgent appointments." These were important pledges. But there's been no real progress here. These promises need to be kept. #PMQS 👉 www.bda.org/news-and-opi...

submitted 47 days ago • 4 comments

As we approach the new year, there is a lack of clarity on many key issues facing NHS dentistry. Most importantly, practices still don't know what uplift in funding they are going to receive for 2024/25 - 9 months into the financial year. www.bda.org/news-and-opi...

submitted 75 days ago • 0 comments

NHS dentistry is in crisis. But attempts to reform it aren't new. 100 practices tried a different system throughout the 2010s. This is what we should learn from that experience as we try to reform NHS dentistry now: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

submitted 81 days ago • 0 comments

NHS dentistry is in crisis. But attempts to reform it aren't new. 100 practices tried a different system throughout the 2010s. This is what we should learn from that experience as we try to reform NHS dentistry now: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

submitted 81 days ago • 0 comments

My colleague Tim & I have written up our interviews with dentists involved in previous efforts to prototype NHS dental contract reform. Clear that there are lessons to be learned as we try to reform the contract again. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

submitted 83 days ago • 1 comment

Good quality improvement principles for a lot of public services, not just railways: "Focus on what you want it to look like, for whom, where". This may resonate with many #QISky healthcare /public health people too.

submitted 84 days ago • 0 comments

Most interesting person I’ve heard talk on this subject is former Scottish CMO Harry Burns, in the context of public health improvement, he makes the case for just letting the frontline “proceed until apprehended” in pursuit of agreed outcomes

submitted 84 days ago • 1 comment

Disappointing that, despite the very laudable talk of a shift from secondary to primary care, the Government's NHS objective is focused on hospital waiting lists. We're never going to get that transformational shift by continuing a narrow focus on measuring hospital performance.

submitted 88 days ago • 1 comment

Patients want a continuing care relationship with a dentist. That is what dentists want their contract to support them to do, because they know it is best for a long-term preventive approach to dental care.

submitted 90 days ago • 0 comments

Another important nugget from this report: The spend on primary care NHS dentistry has been cut by £555m in real terms between 2019-20 and 2023-24

submitted 96 days ago • 0 comments

The National Audit Office has published a damning report into the previous government's Dental Recovery Plan. The NAO says: "NHSE’s and DHSC’s dental recovery plan does not aim to recover NHS dentistry to a pre-pandemic baseline." www.nao.org.uk/reports/inve...

submitted 96 days ago • 2 comments

@meadwaj.bsky.social's impact

submitted 97 days ago • 0 comments

"We’ve not seen any major policy announcements about this and the DHSC didn’t provide us with any details when we got in touch" 700k urgent dental appointments is very much deliverable. There are successful local schemes that can be made national. Let's get a move on! fullfact.org/government-t...

submitted 102 days ago • 0 comments

Important research from Healthwatch. We should have an NHS dental service that prioritises a continuing care relationship between patients and their dentist.

submitted 103 days ago • 0 comments

Starting up over here and finding some twitter friends from dental public health, community dentistry, oral epidemiology, and evidence & policy implementation in dentistry. Please share/get in touch if you want to be added #dentistry #oralhealth go.bsky.app/4xxTxfe

submitted 107 days ago • 1 comment

interesting piece on the government's approach to NHS change - league tables, central performance management and incentives; set out very clearly this week - versus the approach it is taking to schools www.progressivebritain.org/the-unnotice...

submitted 107 days ago • 0 comments

Ok, I've caved & joined the starter pack bandwagon These are people who will be interesting & useful to follow as the new government sets out its plans around social security, work & poverty Sorry if I've missed off good people - will add to it as more come to mind or join go.bsky.app/8WEVftJ

submitted 105 days ago • 23 comments

Having experienced the challenge of finding the UK health / NHS policy community here on Bluesky, I've created a starter pack so you can easily follow some key voices right away. Please comment with suggested additions as more people join. go.bsky.app/NEVJUbU

submitted 109 days ago • 19 comments

Some really interesting reflections on the experiment in public sector reform taking place between health and education www.progressivebritain.org/the-unnotice...

submitted 105 days ago • 2 comments