As you will be aware the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care issued a letter on 6 February 2023 that set out the roadmap around payment system reform for NHS dentistry. This letter references the Scottish Government’s intention to showcase the revised SDR, including fees, over the course of April. I wanted to advise you that this timeline has been necessarily delayed by the process underway to replace the First Minister.
Decisions informing any financial negotiation with BDA about the final fees and the patient charge are required to be taken after the First Minister transition process has been completed and we will confirm the negotiation period and new showcase date as soon as possible. I can confirm that the ‘bridging’ payments remain in place until 31 October 2023 to ensure implementation of the reformed SDR at that point and officials stand ready to support dialogue and negotiations with the sector.
Yours sincerely,
Maree Todd MSP
Letter to NHS Dental Teams – ref Payment Reform Showcase – Temporary Pause – dated 20.03.2023