New Arrangements for Children

If your children are registered patients of Robinspool they will probably have been seen as NHS patients. From April 1st this will no longer apply as dentist’s lists will not exist after this date. Everyone will be a patient of the local Primary Care Trust and patients will be allocated to dentists with NHS contracts.

We do not feel able to accept the terms of the new contract and as a result we will not be permitted to treat your child/children under the new NHS arrangements.

Although we are upset that it should come to this we feel that this is an opportunity to provide your child/children with a better, prevention driven, standard of care. However, it will be necessary to charge you for this service.

We propose to ask you to set up a standing order with your bank to pay a monthly fee to the practice. The rates will be as follows:-

For this fee children will be entitled to and will receive:

• as many examinations as necessary, at least two per year, but more if necessary in their dentist’s opinion
• all radiographs, fissure sealing, fluoride treatment, dietary advice, cleaning and oral hygiene instruction including referral to a hygienist if considered necessary
• orthodontic extractions if directed by orthodontists

However, it will not include:

• out of hours call out fees
• emergency care while away from home (covered by a separate insurance policy)
• treatment arising from sporting injuries or trauma (covered by separate insurance)
• fillings, including root fillings, extractions, implants
• orthodontic treatment or cosmetic treatment, including whitening
• sports mouthguards
• charges for broken appointments

If you activate the standing order on or before April 1st 2006 we promise to keep these fees at this rate for as long as the standing order remains in continuous effect, it will not be subject to annual review or inflationary increase. The only increase will be when a child reaches the birthday at which he/she moves to a different category.
In addition we will include, at no extra cost to those enrolled before 1st April 2006, emergency insurance cover so that your child will be covered for emergency dental treatment worldwide, including injury. Each child covered will be sent its own insurance certificate.

It will be possible to enrol onto the scheme after April 1st but it is not possible to guarantee the aforementioned additional benefits or the stated fees. These fees are calculated on the basis that the scheme will be appreciated as a really positive step towards better care. If the take up rate is poor it will probably be necessary to levy higher fees to replace NHS income.

The benefits of this scheme are that:

• your children will have access to regular examinations and preventive advice
• you will be able to spread the cost of your child’s routine care
• the fees represent a reduction on normal private fees
• we will devote more time to your children which will result in better care
• the scheme includes supplementary insurance

Although we feel that this situation is being forced upon us we feel that it gives us the opportunity to make really helpful and positive changes to the way that we care for our young patients. We have always prided ourselves on our quality of care. Being released from the new NHS arrangements gives us confidence that we can take our commitment to quality care to a new, higher level.

There will be a discount for additional family members.

If you feel that you would like to enrol in our care scheme please email care@robinspool.co.uk, write to the practice c/o Paul Nolan or phone and leave a message out of surgery hours on 0118 978 6703 or 0118 978 7828

Patients who until now were covered by the NHS but who are not enrolled on the care scheme on April 1st 2006 will be subject to our normal fee scale.

See also Childrens' Care & Important Changes