The aim of the Special Care Managed Clinical Network is to ensure the highest standard of appropriate oral care for both adults and children with additional needs are provided throughout the South West region.

The Special Care MCN is an NHS England managed clinical leadership advisory group which will:

• Agree a yearly work plan, objectives and time frames with NHS England and NHS Improvement South West Local Dental Network core group
• Interface with the LDN to contribute to local planning and prioritisation and understand the wider local priorities and action plans. To agree objectives and report on progress.
• Receive and consider information on clinical needs assessments, service delivery, quality, treatment outcomes, cost-effectiveness and equity of access data, in order to advise NHS England and NHS Improvement, Health Education England (HEE), Public Health England (PHE) and Local Professional Network (LDN) leads.
• Contribute to the development and subsequent implementation of strategies that will improve service care provision.
• Contribute to the development of referral management systems.
• Support the implementation of evidence-based pathways of the best and most cost-effective patient care across all sectors of service provision (i.e. primary, secondary and tertiary care).
• Communicate freely with other regional MCN’s in order to either adopt or adapt relevant systems and approaches that may be of benefit to the local population.
• Ensure there is a mechanism for patients’ and carers views on their local clinical services to be expressed and heard.
• Advise on criteria to improve quality, value and treatment outcomes.
• Contribute to an appraisal system for providers in collaboration with the local Director of Health Education England and other appropriate bodies.
• Communicate with and about general dental and primary care practitioners or contracted providers to identify where performance could be improved in the delivery of what is expected within primary care to guide commissioners.
• Advise on areas where further education would be beneficial and, in particular communicate this to Health Education England.
• Report and share the activities and effect of the Special Care / Paediatric MCN, in order to support LDNs and commissioners meet the needs of the local population, in a role that is integral to the NHS England commissioning process.

Core Membership

• MCN Chair (Specialist or Consultant in Special Care Dentistry)
• Regional Chief Dental Officer or Deputy RCDO
• Dental Network Manager
• Community Dental Services representatives
• Special Care Dentistry Specialists and Consultants
• Workforce, Training and Education representative
• Collaborative Commissioning Hub representative
• Dental Public Health representative
• LDC representatives
• Dental School representatives
• Specialist Trainee Registrar representative
• Dental Care Professional representative

Meetings

MCN meetings are held on a quarterly basis via MS Teams.

Enquiries regarding dates of meetings to: england.swregionaldentaloffice@nhs.net

Referral Guidance and Forms

Click here to view referral guidance and forms. 

Pathways for children and adults with congenital heart disease

The South West Special Care MCN have adopted the pathways for children and adults with congenital heart disease, as published on the South Wales and South West Congenital Heart Disease Network website. Please click the links below to view the pathway documents.

Dental Care Pathways for Children with Congenital Heart Disease

Oral and Dental Care for Adults with Congenital Heart Disease