§ 33. Mr. Scott-Hopkinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he now proposes to take concerning dental anaesthesia following his consultations with the British Dental Association.
§ Dr. John DunwoodyThe consultations are not yet complete.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsDoes the hon. Gentleman recognise that a conclusion should be reached fairly soon, and will he say now how he and his Ministry view the problem, in view of the difficulty and the danger to a great many patients at present?
§ Dr. DunwoodyI agree that these consultations are of considerable importance and that the whole problem does give rise to difficulties in relation to risk to patients. The consultations relate to the recommendation of the Joint Advisory Committee to the effect that the practice of dental surgeons acting as their own anaesthetists is always to be deprecated. The hon. Gentleman will, I am sure, accept that there is need here to have adequate consultations with the profession before we finally announce our decision.