Bundles of free PPE are reserved for dental practices in Scotland taking on trainee dental nurses.
The move – sanctioned by NHS National Services Scotland – comes as reports suggest nurses are stepping away from the profession.
The dental nurse training providers in Scotland are looking to reinstate dental nurse training – and assessment – from this month.
Since dental practices reopened last year, PPE is available free of charge.
Reliant on dental nursing
‘To enable the re-establishment of dental nurse training, national procurement are including an enhanced allocation to those dental practices engaged in hosting those dental nurse trainees,’ the letter states.
The ‘enhanced allocation’ comes as part of the dental practice allocation via the NHS Boards authorisation process (PECOS). This is part of the dental practices free PPE allocation.
It adds: ‘The additional PPE will be available from the initiation of the training programmes.’
In a letter from Paul Cushley, the dental director at NHS National Services Scotland, he says this is necessary for a better future.
‘The trainee dental nurses are a resource that the NHS relies on, to help deliver future dental care and provide the NHS dental workforce of the future,’ he writes.
Recruitment adverts ‘on the rise’
The British Dental Association (BDA) praised the move, adding that it will help NHS practices restart training schemes.
‘The number of dental nurses reportedly leaving the profession rose during the pandemic. Adverts for recruitment are on the rise,’ it writes.
‘This may support NHS practices in reestablishing dental nurse training.’
Fresh data from recruitment website Reed states that dental nursing roles have seen salaries increase by 72% since 2020.
All data was taken from job postings on reed.co.uk in May 2021 versus those in May 2020 and May 2019.
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