I recently met with the Brent Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) to strengthen links between dentistry and the wider system of local health and social care as part of integrated neighbourhood planning.
The ICP shared its priorities around establishing core service locations, aligning provision with community needs, and delivering outreach to underserved populations. A live Directory of Services—already in use across GP practices—is available in this month’s LDC newsletter along with this list of current activities in Brent.
On behalf of the LDC, we outlined how NHS dentistry operates, the pressures on access within Brent, and the significant oral health inequalities facing the population. We highlighted that most dental contracts were historically awarded and have not been updated to reflect the needs of the current population, and that access figures can be confusing unless requests for “improving access” are clearly defined.
We have asked the ICP to provide a clear vision of what they want in terms of access to NHS dentistry and what this should look like in practice. Moving forward, there are opportunities for collaboration around prevention, outreach, and integration, and Brent LDC will continue to ensure dentistry is represented in these discussions.
