Call for closer links between GPs and dentists
Source: www.onmedica.com Author: Adrian O'Dowd GPs must work more closely and liaise better with dentists if the rising number of patients with oral cancer are to be helped properly, according to a new action plan. The action plan launched by trade union the British Dental Association (BDA) calls for better coordination between health professionals, checks to ensure patients have regular dental check-ups, and better detection and prevention of the disease. The document Oral Cancer: A Plan for Action was launched in Edinburgh by BDA Scotland at a Stand Up to Oral Cancer event held to coincide with Mouth Cancer Action Month in November. New cases of oral cancer in the UK have reached 8,302 per year and this has increased by 49% in the last decade. Cancer Research UK estimates that incidence rates for oral cancers will rise by a further 33% in the UK by 2035. In the UK last year, 2,722 people died after developing oral cancer. The 10-year survival rate is between 19% and 58%, depending on where the cancer strikes and how early it is diagnosed. The plan focuses on prevention, early detection and having better referral pathways to ensure good links between dentists, GPs and pharmacists. It follows the publication of the Scottish Government’s Oral Health Improvement Plan (OHIP) earlier this year, which proposed extending the dental recall interval for some patients to 24 months – a move strongly opposed by the BDA. Anas Sarwar MSP (member of the Scottish Parliament) has tabled a motion [...]