Councillors will get an update on the changes when members of Cumberland Council’s health overview and scrutiny committee are due to meet at the city’s Civic Centre on Thursday (November 6).
They will consider a report – Proposed Transformation of Secondary Care Orthodontics – from NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board.
According to the report it is a highly complex clinical speciality, concerned with the alignment of the jaw and bite as well as the straightening and movement of the teeth.
It adds: “Within the Lancashire and South Cumbria population of 1.8million, around 1400 patients require the service each year; most of these patients are under the age of 18.”
According to the report referral to secondary care orthodontics is usually for:
- Severe malocclusion: Cases with significant jaw discrepancies or complex tooth misalignments;
- Surgical orthodontics (orthognathic surgery): When the bite problem requires jaw repositioning surgery;
- Multidisciplinary cases: When orthodontic treatment needs to be coordinated with other dental specialties – such as restorative dentistry, oral surgery – or medical specialties;
- Complex restorative problems: Cases involving missing teeth, developmental anomalies, or other issues that require a team approach;
- Patients with medical, developmental or social problems: Where additional support is needed;
- Complex cases not suitable for management in a specialist dental practice or where a second opinion is required.
The proposed model is split into three main areas:
Pathway and operational:
- Standardisation of the way services are delivered to maximise capacity across the system such as clinic templates, referral processes;
- Creation of an advice and guidance service for primary care – so they can speak to consultants before making a referral to make sure it is necessary and
appropriate. This should reduce delays in referrals being accepted.
New commissioning model:
- Instead of commissioning (paying) all four hospital Trusts for services we would pay just one trust to provide all services in multiple locations;
- East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) would be the lead provider of secondary care orthodontics;
- All consultants would work for ELHT but in multiple hospital settings;
- This will strengthen professional infrastructure and create a single accountability for for providing services.
New location plan:
- This will provide more clinics at fewer sites allowing staff capacity to be maximised;
- Two main (hub) locations: One in East Lancashire (operating out of both Burnley General Hospital and Royal Blackburn Hospital);
- One in Central Lancashire (operating out of Chorley and South Ribble Hospital);
- Two satellite (spoke) locations offering clinics one day a week at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and at Furness General Hospital.
