Title : Oral surgery referral and complexity service evaluation in a district general hospital in South West England
Abstract:
The NHS have created a guide for commissioning of Oral Surgery in England which outlines the roles of primary care and secondary care in service provision. It outlines primary care GDP’s to incorporate routine oral surgery care into their contracts while also recognizing the flexibility of specialists, dentists with special interests (DwSI), Oral and Maxillofacial consultants or Staff Associate Specialists to handle more complex procedures in both primary and secondary care settings. As a response to rising NHS demands, our evaluation delves into the intricacies of oral surgery referral forms received by the Maxillofacial Department at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton. By assessing the quality of referrals, the types of presentations and complexities we aim to shed light on the significant proportion of dentoalveolar surgery referrals – less complex yet contributing to the mounting pressure on hospital waiting lists. We aim to use the data as a persuasive tool to increase awareness and advocate for more provision of primary oral surgery services in South West England and decrease the load on secondary care services.
Audience Take Away:
- Gain insight into the NHS commissioning guide for Oral Surgery in England looking into expectations for primary care GDPs and role of specialists in both primary and secondary care.
- Insight into the oral surgery referral forms received including types of presentations, complexity and quality of referrals
- Grasp into the pressure on hospital waiting lists highlighting the need for strategic interventions to address the surge in demand
- See how data gathered supports the need for expanding primary care oral surgery services in Somerset, based on complexity and demand.
