UPFRONT

Scottish oral drive needs detailed and funded plans

Dentist leaders are calling for specific details £20 billion being injected into the NHS by on how Scotland’s national drive to improve 2023-24, £2 billion of additional funding has oral health will be funded and achieved. now been made available for NHS Scotland. In January of this year, the Scottish In an open letter2 sent to the newly Government published its Oral Health appointed Cabinet Secretary for Health Improvement Plan (OHIP)1 promising steps and Sport Jeane Freeman, British Dental to prevent poor oral health, cut oral health Association Scotland urged her to provide inequalities and address the needs of the some more detail on OHIP with informa- ageing population. tion on planning, timelines and provision of It outlined a new preventive system of care necessary resources. to assess patients based on risk, and address Chair of the BDA’s Scottish Council, Robert the link between deprivation and ill-health Donald, said: ‘The Oral Health Improvement Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport Jeane Freeman alongside the introduction of personalised Plan sets big aspirations, but provides little care plans which focus on lifestyle choices detail on funds set aside to pay for them. The When oral cancer rates are surging – and such as diet, alcohol and smoking, and how promise of extra NHS budget now offers a early detection is key – the Scottish these impacted on health. vital opportunity to secure necessary resources Government needs to reconsider. Likewise a Specific recommendations included a required for implementation. change in tack on scale and polish looks like scheme to meet the needs of the ageing popu- ‘Meeting the needs of an ageing popula- a cost cutting exercise. lation, enabling suitably skilled practitioners tion and reducing oral health inequalities ‘Prevention could reap huge dividends for to treat people cared for in their own homes; a in Scotland are vital goals. However we Scottish patients and taxpayers. The Scottish Community Challenge Fund of up to £500,000 are yet to see details on plans, timescales Government needs to show it is prepared to in 2018-19 to allow organisations to bid for or resources to achieve them, or indeed make an effective investment in oral health.’ funding to work in deprived communities and any tangible commitment to maintain the 1. Scottish Government. Oral Health Improvement Plan (Janu- support people to practise better oral health; financial viability of high street practices ary 2018). http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0053/00530479. and to extend the time between dental checks during a period of profound change. pdf (accessed on 18 July 2018). 2. BDA Scotland. Open Letter to Cabinet Secretary for to 24 months for some patients. ‘Sadly, instead of needed investment, a Health and Sport. https://www.bda.org/news-centre/ As part of the recent announcement by focus on 24 month recall intervals feels like a press-releases/Documents/robert-donald-jeane-free- Prime Minister Theresa May of an extra bid to spread a steady state budget too thinly. man-letter-120718.pdf (accessed on 18 July 2018). Low sugar version of leading milk chocolate bar coming in 2019 has announced it will start selling the UK market over the next two years and programme which challenged all sectors of a lower sugar version of its Dairy Milk bar these include: the food industry to reduce by 20% the level from 2019 in response to growing calls for • Cadbury + Protein, which will of sugar in the categories that contribute sugar reduction in confectionary products. contain 12 g of protein per bar and 32% most to the intakes of children up to 18 The company said that a new version less sugar than the standard Boost bar years by 2020. Industry was also challenged of the chocolate bar with 30% less sugar • 30% less sugar variants of Bassetts to achieve a 5% reduction in the first year of would be available in the UK from 2019 hero products, Wine Gums and . the programme. sold alongside the standard bar. A report2 from PHE published in The decision showed the commitment Glenn Caton, President, Northern Europe, May 2018 looking at progress on this issue of Mondelēz International (the company Mondelēz International said: ‘We are working said there had been reductions in sugar that owns Cadbury) to help towards hard to … help people make informed choices levels in five out of the eight food catego- tackling obesity, including childhood by providing clear nutritional information ries measured. However, the report said it obesity, in the UK, it said. and labelling, as well as providing more choice had not yet seen any reductions in biscuits If the product is successful with by expanding our portion control offerings or chocolate confectionery.

consumers, Mondelēz International said it and improving the nutritional profile of our 1. HM Government. Childhood Obesity: A plan for Action might also apply the same reformulation brands. We believe this strategy is working, (August 2016). https://www.gov.uk/government/publi- approach to other Cadbury products. with people for example eating less chocolate cations/childhood-obesity-a-plan-for-action/childhood- obesity-a-plan-for-action (accessed on 23 July 2018). Other lower sugar versions are today than five years ago.’ 2. Public Health England. Sugar reduction and wider being planned for In August 2016, the Government published reformulation programme: Report on progress towards the first 5% reduction and next steps (May Childhood obesity: A plan for action,1 and as 2018). https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/gov- part of that strategy, Public Health England ernment/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/ file/709008/Sugar_reduction_progress_report.pdf (PHE) was asked to oversee a sugar reduction (accessed on 23 July 2018)

BRITISH DENTAL JOURNAL | VOLUME 225 NO. 3 | AUGUST 10 2018 205 Official j ournal of the British Dental Associati on.