14 April 2005

To	Heads of HEFCE-funded higher education institutions Chief Executives of Strategic Health Authorities, NHS Trusts

Circular letter number 09/2005

Please send responses to the appropriate e-mail addresses at the end of this letter.

Increasing dental student numbers in England

1. We are writing to invite expressions of interest in bidding for additional dental student numbers in England from 2006-07 onwards.

2. This is part of a two-stage process. In this first stage we aim to identify the overall potential and suitability of institutions for expansion. Following this initial analysis, we will formally invite those institutions that have best met the criteria outlined below to bid for new places. We recognise that institutions will at that point need to prepare more detailed estimates; proposals for new dental schools will require full business plans. On this basis, we ask you to provide an initial response by completing the attached form, taking account of the requirements and guidance in Annex A, by Thursday 26 May 2005.

Background

3. As you will know, on 16 July 2004 the Government announced plans to increase the number of dental training places in England by 170 from October 2005. Following this, a HEFCE/Department of Health Joint Implementation Group (JIG) was established to advise the HEFCE Board on allocations to universities. The membership and terms of reference of the JIG can be found at Annex B.

4. The JIG recommended an initial allocation for 2005-06 to universities with existing dental provision, and a subsequent open bidding process. In January the JIG wrote to all universities with dental schools offering them an additional increase in permanent places and a further temporary increase to their intake numbers for 2005-06. Through this process 79 additional student places were allocated. We are now seeking to allocate the remaining 91 places as part of a wider competitive bidding process.

Criteria

5. The JIG will be assessing proposals according to five key criteria. These are:

Geographical context.
Innovation.
Quality.
Value for money.
Widening participation.

6. Further details on the criteria for stages one and two are attached at Annex A. Wherever possible we expect the case under each criterion to be backed by robust, quantifiable evidence.

7. All proposals will need to convince the group that they are likely to meet the requirements of the General Dental Council (GDC), which has statutory responsibility for promoting high standards of dental education. Undergraduate dental degree programmes and final examinations are regularly visited by the GDC to ensure conformity to its document, 'The first five years: a framework for undergraduate dental education' (2nd edition, 2002). Recent reports of inspection visits appear on the GDC web-site, www.gdc-uk.org.

The selection process

8. We attach a form which we ask universities and their NHS partners to complete in consultation. This requests information about capacity and capital costs. We recognise that some details may need to be amended in the next stage of the bidding exercise, but we are looking for best current estimates of likely capacity to establish new dental school provision or absorb more students and the associated costs. The responses should be signed off at vice-chancellor level in universities and by chief executives of NHS partners, and endorsed by the relevant Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).

9. Response should make particular reference to the availability and numbers of clinical academics to take forward the increase. We would at a later stage need to take account of cost-effectiveness and the scope for matching contributions. But for now what we are seeking are best estimates of the full costs. Responses should be a maximum of three pages including the form, which can be downloaded below.

10. Responses will be evaluated by the JIG which includes representatives from HEFCE, DH, the NHS and the GDC. Short-listed respondents, bidding for significant capital funds, will be asked to submit a full business case and to make a presentation later in the year.

11. We will also be monitoring dental schools' performance in meeting the increased targets announced for 2005-06. Failure to recruit to the 2005-06 targets may lead to a re-allocation of permanent numbers. Existing dental schools that did not receive additional places in 2005-06 will need to accept a baseline intake position equivalent to the 2005-06 offers, before being eligible to bid for new places.

12. Responses should be sent to arrive by Thursday 26 May 2005, to:

Katherine Penry, HEFCE
Northavon House
Coldharbour Lane
BRISTOL BS16 1QD
e-mail k.penry@hefce.ac.uk

and

Derek Thomson, National Dental Workforce Unit
South Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority
Don Valley House
Savile Street East
SHEFFIELD S4 7UQ
e-mail Derek.Thomson@wdconfed.nhs.uk

Yours sincerely

Sir Howard Newby
Chief Executive
Higher Education Funding Council for England

Professor Raman Bedi
Chief Dental Officer
Department of Health

Download

Annexes A and B
[ MS Word 88K | Zipped Word 13K | Adobe PDF 43K | Zipped PDF 24K ]

Form
[ MS Word 61K | Zipped Word 9K | Adobe PDF 39K | Zipped PDF 23K ]