Letters to the Editor

Dear Eddie

I feel I must comment on the CDO for England’s letter in your January edition, where he takes issue with the article written by Nilesh Patel.

Nilesh was writing about the variance in provision of non mandatory services but Dr Cockcroft seems to have misinterpreted the article. It is interesting that the CDO is making conclusions about care pathways within any new NHS contracting, and I hope that a more robust evaluation takes place before such a contract is rolled out. It is also unclear where DwSi in endodontics will “appear” from for the 3 level system he praises in his letter.

Dr Patel’s article clearly highlighted how difficult it was in many areas to get patients seen for advanced care, and here in Birmingham referrals for difficult molar endodontics are rarely available nor commissioned,  meaning patients who cannot afford private provision do end up with a shortened arch. Dr Cockcroft comments on the “success” that 590,000 course of treatment contained endodontic care but does not comment on how this has dropped from nearly a million pre 2006, nor what percentage of these are complex molar root treatments.