Bernard's News
Hello Lancashire
Not much happened since the last newsletter. Just a few updates.
1. Central Lancs Minor Oral Surgery Service (MOSS) - due to operational issues it seems this is likely to be now delayed until the New Year - I will keep you all updated as info becomes available. The service will roll out county wide eventually.
2. Appraisal - a validation exercise is being undertaken around the Lancs wide appraisers list. If you are an appraiser you will be asked if you will commit to the scheme into the future. Please look out for this and respond ASAP - it is essential that we know the numbers so we can match this with the number of planned appraisals. If you have been missed off the contact list apologies and please let me know.
3. Occupational Health Services - I have had some feedback on access to these services and can re-iterate that the message from the Area Team is that there is only funding available for Occy Health services for dental teams following work related sickness. There is currently no funding to provide pre-employment checks or vaccinations, which will need to be funded by practices. We will keep this on the radar in case funding becomes available into the future. This is a separate issue from post needle stick assessment and treatment which as I have mentioned in previous newsletters is piece of work I am picking up with Nick Barkworth - more on this soon...
4. Minutes of meetings to be posted on the website - we are looking to post meeting minutes of a number of important meetings such as the Local Dental Network and the Liaison Meeting. These should be on the website soon. It will give you all a chance to keep up to date and will help prompt you to raise issues etc with the Lancs LDC Exec to take forward. Don't forget you can email me any time with a query/comment etc and I will respond. If I don't know the answer I will get it for you. The LDC is there to help so please make full use of the resource.
Contact me any time on bernard@lancashirecoastalldc.co.uk
Also - make sure either you or your practice manager gets registered with the website to ensure you get all the info as it lands with the Exec. KEEP IN TOUCH - USE THE WEBSITE
Just one more thing - during a short stay in Grange over Sands my dear wife and myself were walking through the town when the other half spotted a collection of rustic garden ornaments which would be ideal for a particular spot in our garden. These things were made from rather large logs of different sizes (all very heavy). So which one did we pick? Correct, the largest one which weighed around 3 stone!
Guess who ended up carrying it back to the hotel, via the scenic route I might add, to take in the promenade - right again - BA! The things I do for a quiet life!!
Onward and Upward
Bernard - Sec Lancs LDC Exec
Website News
There's a couple of new items in the Library this week - a letter regarding 'Winter Pressures and Business Continuity Plans' from the Area Team, and details (Flyer / Agenda / Booking form) for the British Association of Dental Advisers Conference. I've also linked to the British Orthodontic Society guidelines on referrals for Ortho. The Website is at http://www.lancashirecoastalldc.co.uk - you'll need to register the first time you visit. Any feedback, or ideas, as usual to admin@lancashirecoastalldc.co.uk Stuart