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Dental Services

Volume 264: debated on Monday 16 October 1995

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the recommendations of the committee convened to review the provision of NHS dental services and the date on which he expects to publish the recommendations. [36443]

The Government have not convened such a committee. We have, however, been working closely with the General Dental Services Committee on the detailed development of the reform proposals that I announced to the House on 5 April, Official Report. columns 1214–15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many salaried dental practitioner posts have been (a) approved and (b) filled since 1 January 1994. [36809]

The number of salaried dentist posts approved from 7 January 1994 to 22 September 1995 is 36. Over the same period the net increase in the number of salaried dentists was 26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many referrals were received by the community dental service in (a) 1992–93, (b) 1994–95 and (c) in respect of patients unable to obtain treatment within the general dental service. [36819]

Family health services authorities in England report that between 1 August 1994 and 22 September 1995 that they suggested to 1,399 patients that treatment might be available through the community dental service. Information is not available in this form before 1 August 1994.

Numbers of patients waiting for orthodontic in-patient or day case treatment, by region and monthly time band, at 31 March 1995
Region0–23–56–89–1112–14Total
Northern and Yorkshire231610040
Trent000000
Anglia and Oxford2937233322144
North Thames000000
South Thames15500020
South and West311910051
West Midlands7800015
North West500005
SHAs000000
Total11085253322275

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of children by region waiting for orthodontic treatment on the NHS for each month since January 1994. [36811]

Children are not identified separately in information collected on numbers of patients waiting for in-patient or day case treatment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to improve dental care for elderly people in residential and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement. [36821]

Last April the Government announced a range of reforms of national health service dentistry, including its intention to strengthen the community dental service's role in ensuring continued access to NHS dental services for all who wish to use them. This development should benefit those patients in residential and nursing homes unable to use the mainstream general dental service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices in the United Kingdom are accepting children for orthodontic treatment on only a private contract basis. [36810]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to initiate pilot studies on purchaser-provider arrangements for the dentist service; and if he will make a statement. [36815]

The package of reforms I announced on 5 April reaffirmed the Government's aim to introduce a system of local contracts between health authorities and dental practices similar to that which operates elsewhere in the health service. Such a system will need careful piloting and evaluation before a decision is taken on nationwide introduction. To run pilot projects would require primary legislation. The Government will seek to introduce the necessary legislation when parliamentary time allows. Bids for pilot projects will then be invited.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average waiting time by region for orthodontic treatment at hospitals. [36813]

At 31 March 1995 there were 275 patients waiting for in-patient or day case orthodontic treatment. No patient had waited more than 15 months and information by region is shown in the table. Waiting times for patients being treated on an out-patient basis are not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total budget for the community dental service in (a) 1992–93, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96; and what is the projected budget for (i) 1995–96 and (ii) 1996–97. [36820]

Expenditure on the community dental services in 1992–93 was £75,770,000. Figures are not available for later years. The level of future expenditure on the community dental service is a matter for health authorities, as the local purchasers of health care, to decide.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total amount allocated by his Department to dental schools for capital improvements in (a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96; and what proportion of this amount in each year was passed on to dental schools by hospital trusts. [36816]

The Department does not allocate capital funds direct to dental schools for capital improvements. Up to and including 1994–95 a central allocation for the re-equipment of dental hospitals was made to each regional health authority for the schools in its area. The total allocated was £4,608,000 in 1993–94 and £4,788,000 in 1994–95 which was split equally between the schools to produce £384,000 and £399,000 a year respectively. These amounts were allocated by the RHAs to the appropriate health authorities and national health service trusts. Records are not kept centrally of any additional capital allocated to dental schools by the health authority or trust.From 1995–96 there is no central allocation. Dental schools are required to put bids in for capital funds from the trust's capital programme. Records are not kept centrally of the capital allocated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of trained orthodontists for each year since 1991; and what was the estimated requirement for orthodontists in each of those years. [36812]

Any dentist who has the necessary facilities, experience of expertise may provide orthodontic treatment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total amount allocated by his Department for orthodontic training for each year since 1991; and what is the projected budget for orthodontic training for (a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97. [36818]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has carried out into the working of the capitation payment system to dentists for dental care of children; and what plans he has to change this system. [36814]

The Government have commissioned two research studies on the operation of the capitation system since it was introduced in 1990.The reports are at different stages of readiness. That from the university of Birmingham is in its final form and I have today placed it in the House of Commons Library. The report from the university of Manchester will be available shortly. Both research teams have plans to disseminate their findings more widely.The improvement of the capitation system was one of the package of proposals for the reform of NHS dentistry that I announced on 5 April. The Government intend to reform the capitation system by relating payments to dentists to disease levels in children. We are discussing the detailed development of this and the other elements of the package with the representatives of the dental profession.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, formerly health services authority if he will list by region and in total the number of people (a) deregistered from NHS dental treatment and (b) seeking help from their local FHSA to find a NHS dentist, since July 1992. [36994]

This information will be placed in the Library. At 31 July 1995, as at 1 July 1992, there were 27.3 million patients registered with national health service dentists in England.