Whilst previous editions of the survey focused on the profession’s confidence in the future of NHS dentistry, the latest survey serves to shift the focus to understanding dental professional’s experiences of working within the NHS.
Now live for all practice owners, principal dentists and associates who have experience of working within the NHS, Practice Plan is looking to gain even further insight into the factors influencing confidence and happiness levels for those working at the coal face.
Speaking about the development of the NHS Confidence Monitor, Nigel Jones, sales and marketing director at Practice Plan, said, “It’s time for us to build on the insight we have gained so far from past results and we now want to focus on the decision makers, those who are currently working within the NHS or have previously converted and have experience of NHS dentistry. With the help of these dental professionals, our goal is to discover their happiness and confidence levels, as well as to gain a deeper understanding of what it’s like to work in NHS dentistry, both now and with a view to the future.
“Dentists and practice owners have valuable information to share, and that’s where Practice Plan’s Confidence Monitor comes in. We will gather the data, evaluate it and then share the findings in order to continue supporting the dental profession in these challenging times.”
To help achieve this objective, the monitor will gather information on areas such as each participant’s work/life balance, how comfortable they are that they can provide the appropriate level of care for patients and the challenges posed by managing patient expectations.
Commenting on the survey, Eddie Crouch, a dentist and vice chair of the British Dental Association Principal Executive Committee, stated, “I think that the lead up to a revised contract has been so long and drawn out that there has been a pervasive concern that things aren’t going to change in the near future, and therefore people have not been thinking about how they might influence change. But I believe the dental profession needs to vocalise their concerns about NHS dentistry both now and for the future, to try to affect any changes in the pipeline in a positive way. This survey offers the perfect opportunity to do just that – make sure your voice is heard!”
To take part in the NHS Confidence Monitor and share your thoughts, please visit www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/confidencemonitor5. The survey should take approximately three minutes of your time.
For detailed results from the last four surveys, visit www.nhsdentistryinsights.co.uk. Here you can also access the discussions from our previous Insights Panel, made up of key opinion leaders and experts from the dental profession who explore and debate the significance of the survey results and their implications for the future of the NHS.