Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset, is urging West Dorset’s dental practices to take advantage of the Government’s recently announced ‘golden hello’ payments – worth £20,000 – offered to recruit and retain dentists for at least three years. The reforms will specifically boost dentists in rural and coastal areas that persistently struggle to attract dentists into NHS work.
Mr Loder said: “It’s clear from speaking with many of our local dental practices over the last year that recruitment is one of the hardest challenges. I’m glad that the Government is rolling out the Dental Recruitment Incentive Scheme, which is designed to encourage relocation to areas with dental workforce challenges, such as West Dorset. An incentive payment worth £20,000 is on offer, and I’m assured by the Dentistry Minister that our area will receive proportionally more posts.”
He continued: “I am really encouraged by the number of people who have got in touch to ask about setting up a new dental surgery and I encourage all dental practices to consider expressing an interest in being part of this new initiative. Dental practices will be informed by NHS Dorset ICB of the process and timescales for applications; I will also be writing to our dental practices to outline further details.”
The recruitment reforms follow the recent announcement of mobile dental provision for Dorset, along with an uplift in the Unit of Dental Activity (UDA) payment rate – from £23 to £28.
