Worrying increase in number of dentists leaving profession early
SDPC vice-chair says declining incomes have seen early retirements double in two years
Voluntary early retirement among Scottish GDPs has doubled in the last two years according to the vice-chair of the Scottish Dental Practice Committee (SDPC).
David McColl, who was speaking to the Conference of Scottish Local Dental Committees in Stirling recently, argued that the continuing decline in dentists’ incomes along with plummeting morale and motivation was to blame. He said that Scottish GDPs have the lowest taxable income of the four UK countries and because income has not increased by as much as expenses, due to inflation, this has led to unprecedented high expense ratios and record low levels of net profits.
He revealed that, following this year’s recommendations by the DDRB, BDA Scotland and SDPC had arranged an urgent meeting with the Chief Dental Officer Margie Taylor and her team to negotiate the expenses element of the recent DDRB award.
Among the motions that were passed at conference was a demand from Greater Glasgow and Clyde LDC that the Government’s expressed intention “to work towards a reduced number of allowances” referred to in the consultation document Scotland’s Oral Health Plan does not result in a reduction in the GDS allowances budget. This was passed unanimously.
Other motions that were passed unanimously included a call for Scottish Government to look again at water fluoridation, a call to extend the sugar tax to all high-sugar products and not just soft drinks, a demand for a decontamination allowance and a call for a review of the mechanisms by which the profession negotiates on NHS fees.
At the end of conference Motherwell dentist David McIntyre was inaugurated as the new chair taking over from this year’s chair of conference Jacqueline Frederick.
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