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Unscheduled care 2026 - Update June 2026 (see red text)
One of the key changes in the 2026 reforms to NHS dentistry is the mandated unscheduled care element. This now sets a new target for contractors, requiring 8.2% of their NHS contracts to be performed as unscheduled care. This new requirement slightly broadens the definition of urgent care. In NHS England’s guidance they describe unscheduled care as:
- Emergency unscheduled care (immediately life threatening oral and dental conditions) should receive clinical triage within 60 minutes, and subsequent treatment within a timescale that is appropriate to the severity of the condition
- Unscheduled urgent dental treatment within 24 hours
- Unscheduled non-urgent dental treatment within the next seven days.
Practices will be able to provide mandated, unscheduled care to existing and new patients.
Our ICB has communicated with contract holders stating the level of unscheduled care that each contract must provide – this is then left to the individual contract holder to arrange. However, the ICB does have some discretion with the target and can change this depending on locally driven factors. However, and this is down to the contract holder to discuss with the ICB.
Each unscheduled CoT attracts a total payment of £75 which consists of:
- A fixed credit of £15 per mandated CoT, which is paid to the practice as a block payment monthly, retrospectively, (so not linked to individual attendance). This will set out separately on schedules and marked as "unscheduled mandatory requirement"
- An activity credit of £60 once treatment has been delivered and the CoT has been claimed.
CoTs delivered above the mandated level will just be paid at the rate of £75 activity credit.
All the payments will be converted into UDAs on the schedule based on the contracts base UDA value.
Currently, SOE will display 1.6 UDAs for an unscheduled CoT. This is because SOE does not have the exact contract UDA value and is using an average across England. This will be automatically updated as soon as the NHS return a payment schedule for urgent treatment. The schedule will inform EXACT of the practice's UDA value for urgent treatment and apply it from that point onwards.
Our ICB dental team has recently spoken with the NHS BSA liaison manager and sought clarification on the concern that people are not being renumerated for the £15 appointment slot (fixed credit)
The NHS BSA can confirm that practices are being credited for the £15 appointment slot element (fixed credit) and the £60 activity elements. They wish to draw your attention to the attached provider guidance which explains the payment mechanism for each part:
- the £60 activity element is shown on your monthly payment statements
- the bottom of page 3 onwards explains that the £15 appointment slot element is only visible by accessing the “activity actuals including unscheduled care” report under the activity folder within the NHS BSA compass system.
please see attached guidance here
The guidance does go on to say that, “it is recognised that contractors would prefer to have a single source of this data. Work is underway to explore additional reporting routes to support contractors and commissioners with better visibility of unscheduled care activity going forward, including to support contractors as they reach their contractual requirement and UDA credits change. We will provide an update on this in due course.”
Currently this data can be assessed via compass in the activity section.
Please make sure you are selecting "Activity Actuals including Unscheduled care (England)"
The BDA have provided advice for associates (performers) and contract holders (providers) on how to manage this new target and how to arrange renumeration including the £15 fixed credit between the provider and performer. These can be found at the BDA website along with these helpful webinars – however you may have to be a member to access this:
NHS UDA contract changes England
Complex care pathways update June 2026
As of the 23rd of June 2026 NHS England is updating the dental contract - this will include changes to denture repairs and the introduction of 3 new pathways know as complex care pathways. These are related to clinical needs and are set to help tackle high needs patients under the UDA system.
Firstly, it must be stressed that these are tweaks to the existing contract, and not the wholesale contract reform that the BDA are pushing for, and that the care pathways are still linked to the UDA system. There is concern from the BDA about how the software and systems such as compass will record this data so we at the LDC advice that you research all the information around this before enacting on the care pathways.
Currently the pathways proposed are:
- Care Pathway 1 - the management of 5 or more carious teeth - which is to be completed over a 6 month period
this will be paid at a rate of £284 converted to your UDA rate - Care Pathway 2 - the management of 5 or more carious teeth plus treatment for advanced periodontal disease - which is to be completed over a 12 month period
this will be paid at a rate of £709 converted to your UDA rate - Care Pathway 3 - the management of advanced periodontal disease - which is to be completed over a 6 month period
this will be paid at a rate of £248 converted to your UDA rate
Official guidance will be included on here once it is release - however do be sure to check the BDA website for their latest news and information. the BDA also provide webinars around these subjects that can be located here (you may need to be a member to see these videos):
BDA webinar
Nurse Training in East Lancashire
The University Dental Hospital of Manchester, part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, is launching a new satellite training centre at the University Centre at Blackburn College. This initiative supports dental practices across East Lancashire and South Cumbria by providing local access to high‑quality dental nurse training.
Two fully funded programmes are available: the Dental Nurse (GDC 2023) Apprenticeship Standard and the City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing for learners aged 19 and over. Both are delivered through a blended learning model starting in September 2026.
more information can be found on our Dental nurse Training page
If you are interested you can email - admin.dcp@mft.nhs.uk
MyGDC replacing eGDC
MyGDC is replacing eGDC – what you need to know
On 25 March 2026 the GDC launched MyGDC, the new online registration service. This has now replaced eGDC.
You will use this new service to manage your registration, complete the annual renewal process and submit and declare your continuing professional development (CPD) hours.
You can find further information about MyGDC and how to log in for the first time from the GDC
We advice that you do not leave this till the last minute but familiarise yourself with it before your CPD decleration becomes due.