Skip to main content

Prison Medical Service (Dental Treatment)

Volume 388: debated on Thursday 15 April 1943

The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.

asked the Home Secretary whether dental treatment is afforded to prisoners undergoing sentence in His Majesty's prisons and under what conditions; whether such treatment is provided free of cost or whether payment is insisted on before attention; what are the terms of appointment of the dental surgeons; and what supervision of the prison dental arrangements there is?

Yes, Sir. Each prison is visited regularly by a registered dental surgeon practising in the neighbourhood and if immediate dental treatment is required to relieve pain or for the preservation of the general health of any prisoner who is unable to pay treatment is given at the public expense. In other cases a person who wants dental treatment while in prison is required to pay. Convicts serving substantial sentences and Borstal inmates are supplied with dentures at the public expense whenever necessary. Dental surgeons are paid at the rates approved under the National Health Insurance Scheme and the arrangements are supervised by the Commissioner responsible for the Prison Medical Service.