British dental journal
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British dental journal · Mar 2000
Out-of-hours dental services: a survey of current provision in the United Kingdom.
To describe the variety of arrangements for providing out-of-hours dental care in the UK. ⋯ There is extremely wide geographical variation in the organisation of out-of-hours dental services provided in the United Kingdom. In many parts of the UK there are no formal out-of-hours care arrangements for unregistered patients, even at weekends. This unequal provision will mean inequitable access for many unregistered patients. With increasing demands from a growing unregistered population, and various government initiatives to make primary care services more integrated and accessible, the highly fragmented pattern of provision in many areas may no longer be acceptable.
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Over the summer, BDJ readers were surveyed about the BDJ as part of a series of BDJ surveys conducted since 1992. As well as assessing general views about the BDJ, the survey also aimed to discover how successful the 1998 BDJ redesign had been in incorporating reader's views from earlier surveys. ⋯ Readers turn to the BDJ before any other UK dental journal for finding a job and reports on research. The full results of the survey are reported below.
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This article will cover the history of the tort of negligence and how the judgement in the case of Donoghue v Stevenson enabled the courts to 'develop the law' to allow the concept of a 'duty of care' to develop which was extended to include healthcare professionals. The Bolam test is then described and how it has come to play such a prominent role in assisting the courts to assess if an appropriate standard has been achieved in medical negligence litigation. Attempts by the courts to move away from Bolam are discussed and the difficulties encountered because of the reluctance of the appellate courts to approve such decisions. Finally the recent House of Lords decision in Bolitho v City and Hackney Health Authority is examined and the implications this may have on the Bolam test.
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British dental journal · Feb 2000
Comparative StudyA survey of the teaching of conscious sedation in dental schools of the United Kingdom and Ireland.
To assess and compare, for the first time, the quantity and quality of dental undergraduate teaching in conscious sedation in the dental schools of the UK and Ireland. This was achieved using a prospective, questionnaire-based survey. ⋯ Dental undergraduate sedation teaching shows considerable variation across the dental schools surveyed. At most schools students gained little or no hands-on experience in sedation, especially in intravenous techniques. The undergraduate foundation for sedation education must improve if conscious sedation is to become the principal alternative to general anaesthesia in dental practice.
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NHS Direct - the nurse-led 24-hour telephone helpline - is the flagship initiative of the 'New NHS'. The scheme is already available to over 19 million people, and is planned to serve 60% of England by the end of 1999 and the whole of the country by the end of 2000. ⋯ Yet many dentists are unaware of its existence, and within the profession there has been little debate regarding its actual or likely future impact on how people access dental care. This article briefly describes the concept and early experiences of NHS Direct, and speculates about its potential impact on how people access dental care.