TEAM FOCUS


EXPERTS IN APPROVAL


THE PRACTITIONER SERVICES (DENTAL) (PSD) TEAM COMBINE THEIR MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO KEEP DENTISTS RIGHT ON PRIOR APPROVALS


T


he Practitioner Services (Dental) (PSD) team dealt with 44,000 Prior Approval requests from Scottish dentists last year... and expect this level to remain


high in the coming years as treatments become more complex to meet the needs of a population retaining more of their teeth into later life. Te role of PSD – part of


NHS National Services Scotland – is to provide clinical governance and support the provision of safe, effective and patient-centred dental care. Tis is a statutory role as PSD


are agents of the Scottish Dental Practice Board. Te Dental Advisers review Prior Approval submissions in order to evaluate, on the information provided, whether the treatment proposed is in accordance with the Statement of Dental Remuneration (SDR), in compliance with the NHS (GDS)(Scotland) Regulations, and, above all, is in a patient’s best interests.


SCO TTISH DENT AL Dental Adviser Alison Gilliatt


explained: “We carefully assess each treatment plan presented, carrying out a risk versus benefit analysis. “We are all motivated in the best


interests of patients, and we are also keen to help our dental colleagues in practice so they can provide the treatment their patients require while remaining within their terms of service and the regulations.” Te 13-strong PSD team


comprises Dental Advisers, Dental Reference Officers (DROs) and Orthodontic Advisers. Te DROs are primarily involved


in examining patients and reporting on the appropriateness of care and treatment proposed or provided by dentists. Te Dental Advisers are primarily involved in assessing prior approval requests, assessing and awarding discretionary fees, providing advice on clinical matters to dentists and Practitioner Services staff, undertaking monitoring exercises and dealing with Scottish Dental Reference Service cases. Te team all have many years of


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experience in general dental practice and work together to peer-review cases, where necessary. Alison admits the NHS


regulations, particularly regarding remuneration, are complex, however there is an onus on dentists to ensure that they fully understand them, particularly dentists new to Scotland. She said: “It’s very easy for a


dentist who is new to Scotland to get confused and claim for the wrong items and then have to reimburse the public purse when the mistake is discovered. “I’d advise new dentists to be


proactive and find out the rules to make sure that they comply with their terms of service with the NHS. Our website has lots of information. NHS Education for Scotland also runs frequent induction courses which cover the basics, providing essential information for dentists new to the NHS in Scotland.”


FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit www.psd.scot.nhs.uk


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