To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to encourage dentists who provide NHS services to take on additional NHS patients. (284627)

It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to assess the local demand for national health service dentistry, and commission appropriate services to meet it.

All 10 strategic health authorities have set themselves the aim of providing access to NHS dentistry for all who seek it by March 2011 at the latest. We are supporting PCTs to meet this aim with extra resources—an 11 per cent. uplift in our dental funding allocations for 2008-09, and a further 8.5 per cent. uplift in total funds for 2009-10, which takes the total available for dental allocations to £2,257 million (net of patient charge income).

We have also set up an expanded national dental access programme, headed by Dr. Mike Warburton an experienced clinician and manager, to support managers and clinicians to rapidly expand services where needed.

“NHS dental service in England: An independent review led by Professor Jimmy Steele”, published on 22 June recommends a series of further actions to support access and quality, including how to structure the dental contract to further support dentists to take on new patients. Piloting of the recommendations will begin from this autumn. This report has already been placed in the Library and is also available at:

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_101137

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an assessment of the effect on the level of demand for NHS dental services of the economic downturn. (283825)

It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to assess local demand for national health services dental services, taking into account all factors which are likely to affect this, and commission the appropriate services.

All 10 strategic health authorities have set themselves the aim of providing access to NHS dentistry for all who seek it by March 2011 at the latest. We are supporting PCTs to meet this aim with extra resources—an 11 per cent. uplift in our dental funding allocations for 2008-09, and a further 8.5 per cent. uplift in total funds for 2009-10, which takes the total available for dental allocations to £2,257 million (net of patient charge income).

We have also set up an expanded national dental access programme, headed by Dr. Mike Warburton an experienced clinician and manager, to support managers and clinicians to rapidly expand services where needed. New practices are opening regularly as a result of the new funding and focus. NHS dental services are expanding and therefore in a strong position to meet any extra demand that may result from the economic downturn.

“NHS dental service in England: An independent review led by Professor Jimmy Steele”, published on 22 June recommends a series of further actions to support access and quality. Piloting of the recommendations will begin from this autumn. This report has already been placed in the Library and is also available at:

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_101137