Statutory Levy
Local Dental Committees have been engaged in the dental political landscape since 1948 and their prime function of local liaison with the NHS is further enhanced by their influence on national policy. LDCs are funded by a combination of the statutory and voluntary levies from primary-care dentists in their area. General Dental Services (GDS) contractors are, by statute, required to make contributions to their LDC. The Statutory Levy (SL) is collected on behalf of the H&IOW LDC by the NHS (BSA) and this funding stream is used by the committee for administration, payment of members’ expenses for attending meetings and any other representative and constituent supportive work on behalf of the LDC. The SL is collected as a percentage of the total contract value (tcv) and currently this stands at 0.27%. The LDC carefully reviews its annual budget to ensure that the SL funding is balanced against its projected activity and expenditure. The H&IOW LDC is the largest stand alone LDC in England and is very active in three main areas of Peer support, NHS England-South (Wessex)-engagement and Learning and Peer support.
Peer Support: The H&IOW LDC can help its constituents with their communications with NHS England. We regularly help individual contractors or performers with specific issues and negotiations. The LDC can support GDPs with contract management and performers list concerns.
Voluntary Levy:
As Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) increasingly award Personal Dental Services (PDS) Contracts rather than General Dental Services (GDS) Contracts, the income generated through the Local Dental Committee (LDC) Statutory Levy is being progressively reduced.
This is a significant issue, as the Statutory Levy funds the operation of the LDC—your democratically elected representative body, established by statute to advocate for the interests of local dental practitioners.
Our funding is twofold, from the SL and the Voluntary Levy (VL)
The VL helps support a number of dental charities and initiatives that benefit the profession and the wider community. These are:
Dental Health Support Trust who help colleagues with mental health concerns or addiction issues.
BDA Benevolent Fund who support the financial and emotional needs of dental students, dentists and their dependants.
Confidental a phone helpline staffed by volunteers for all dental care professionals who may benefit from listening support for all professional and personal challenges
British Fluoridation Society which works for improved dental health in the UK through the introduction of water fluoridation schemes.
The continued erosion of Statutory Levy income threatens the LDC’s ability to sustain all of our functions so if you would consider making a monthly donation to our Voluntary Levy to help maintain our important charitable donations we would be most grateful.
The details can be obtained by emailing the LDC administrator Emily Percival on: emily.percival87@gmail.com
With grateful thanks.
Claudia Peace
Honorary Treasurer
Hampshire and Isle of Wight LDC
