www.the-probe.co.uk
CPD: AGILIO SOFTWARE
Making sense of the new employment rights changes in dentistry Beth Honey explores what the latest employment rights reforms mean for dental practices, offering practical insight into the changes already in force and the further developments practices should be preparing for later this year and into 2027
Aims The aim of this article is to explore the latest employment rights reforms affecting dental practices, focusing on the practical implications of the changes already in force and the further developments practices should be preparing for through 2026 and into 2027. Learning objectives: On completing this Enhanced CPD session, the reader will be able to: • Understand the key employment rights reforms already affecting dental practices following the implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025 • Recognise where changes to Statutory Sick Pay, parental leave, whistleblowing protections and holiday pay records are most likely to affect day-to-day practice management • Identify the practical steps practices can take to support compliance, documentation and consistent people management processes • Understand the further employment law developments due through late 2026 and 2027, including the implications for harassment prevention and unfair dismissal processes Learning Outcome: A,B,D The Employment Rights Act 2025 represents one of the biggest shifts in UK employment law for many years and, while some of the most widely discussed reforms are still to come, several important changes are already affecting dental practices. For practice owners and managers, that can understandably feel like a lot to absorb alongside the everyday realities of running a busy practice. Recruitment pressures remain high across dentistry, teams are already balancing increasing patient demand with compliance responsibilities, and many employers are trying to interpret what these reforms will mean day-today rather than simply in legal terms. The good news is that a substantial number of practices may already have the right foundations in place. In many cases, these reforms formalise processes that responsible employers will already be familiar with, but they also reinforce the need for consistency, documentation and ensuring managers understand how policies should be applied in practice. With that in mind, understanding where the immediate operational impact is most likely to appear can help practices focus their attention where it matters most.
Where practices should focus first
One of the most immediate changes for dental practices is the reform to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), which came into force on 6 April 2026. SSP is now payable from the first full day of
62 62-63_Probe-Jun_Agilio-CPD.indd 62
sickness absence, with the previous three-day waiting period removed, while the lower earnings threshold has also been abolished. Employees whose earnings previously fell below the qualifying threshold may now receive SSP at 80% of their average weekly earnings, or the standard SSP flat rate, whichever is lower. For many practices, this will involve reviewing payroll and absence management processes to ensure they reflect the updated requirements, particularly for part-time and lower-paid employees. Alongside SSP, practices also need to review their approach to paternity leave and unpaid parental leave, both of which are now day one rights. Until recently, employees needed 26 weeks of service to be eligible for paternity leave and one year’s service to take unpaid parental leave, but those qualifying periods have now been removed. In practical terms, this means a new starter could request parental leave during a probationary period, something many practices may not previously have encountered. While situations like this are unlikely to become common occurrences, they do reinforce the importance of making sure onboarding processes, staffing plans and management approaches reflect the updated position. Practices should also be aware of the Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave Regulations 2026, which came into force on 6 April. Where a child’s primary carer dies within the first year following birth or adoption, the surviving partner now has a day one right to take up to 52 weeks of unpaid leave.
Getting records and processes in order
The reforms also increase expectations around accurate and accessible record keeping. Many dental practices will already have systems in place to manage annual leave and payroll, but employers are now legally required to maintain formal holiday pay records, including details of leave taken, payments made in lieu of untaken leave and how holiday pay has been calculated, with records retained for six years. Failure to comply is a criminal offence, and the Fair Work Agency, which launched in April 2026, has enforcement powers in this area. This is particularly important for practices with
part-time employees, irregular working patterns or variable-hours contracts, where holiday pay calculations can often become more complex. While changes like this inevitably involve some administrative review, many practices find that clearer and more consistent record keeping ultimately makes employment processes much easier to manage dayto-day. When records are centralised and well-organised, it becomes far simpler to respond confidently to queries from employees, regulators or external bodies if they arise later. This focus on clear and consistent processes has become even more relevant as the Fair Work Agency brings together several existing enforcement
Six practical steps to prioritise now While some of the wider reforms are still to come, several important changes are already in force and worth reviewing across the practice now. If you have not yet revisited your processes following the recent reforms, these are some of the key areas to focus on first: 1.
Ensure payroll systems are set up to pay SSP from the first day of absence, with no lower earnings threshold
2.
Review paternity and parental leave policies to remove previous qualifying service requirements
3.
Make sure managers understand the extended whistleblowing protections relating to sexual harassment concerns
4.
Check that holiday pay records are being stored in a compliant format and retained for the required six-year period
5.
Revisit redundancy procedures if any restructuring or staffing changes may be on the horizon
6.
Start preparing now for October 2026’s strengthened duty around preventing sexual harassment, including third-party harassment involving patients.
To complete the questions and gain one hour of Enhanced CPD, visit cpd.the-probe.co.uk/
The Probe | June 26
03/06/2026 22:43:37