HC Deb 16 July 1992 vol 211 cc901-3W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expenditure was incurred on developing resource management in England by each health authority in each year since 1988–89; and what financial benefits have been identified and evaluated to date.

Mr. Sackville

The sums made available by the Department to regional and special health authorities to develop resource management in the years 1989–90 to 1991–92 are shown in the table. Regional and district health authorities and individual hospitals have provided some additional funding for individual projects. In 1988–89, the Department contributed £2.3 million to projects in six acute resource management pilot sites.

The resource management programme aims to secure improvements in patient care through better management of resources at hospital level, and is not concerned solely with financial benefits. Assessment of benefits is an integral part of resource management projects in individual hospitals, but there has been no comprehensive national survey of those assessments.

such employment will be dealt with speedily. There is no reason to believe that large numbers of dentists intend to leave the national health service.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date the new schedule of dental fees which she announced on 25 June was sent to the Government's printers with instructions to print it; and if she will make a statement.

Dr. Mawhinney

Tuesday 23 June 1992; this being the date on which, pursuant to regulation 19(3) of the National Health Service (General Dental Services) Regulations 1992, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State amended the statement of dental remuneration.

Ms. Janet Anderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give an estimate of the anticipated delay in treating national health service patients requiring orthodontic treatment costing in excess of £200, as a result of the new regulations requiring prior approval to be sought from the Dental Practice Board for patients (a) under 18 years of age, (b) 18 to 25 years of age and (c) 25 years of age and older.

Dr. Mawhinney

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) on 13 July at columns517–18. The age of the patient is irrelevant to this process.

Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will negotiate a new system of dental remuneration.

Dr. Mawhinney

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Cleethorpes (M r. Brown) on 9 July at column337.

Ms. Janet Anderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many orthodontic national health service patients required treatment costing in excess of £200 in each year since 1987 for patients(a) under 18 years of age, (b) 18 to 25 years of age and (c) 25 years of age and older.

Dr. Mawhinney

The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ms. Janet Anderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will consider raising the limit of £200 per patient on orthodontic treatment not requiring prior approval from the Dental Practice Board; and if she will make a statement.

Dr. Mawhinney

We see no reason to raise the prior approval limit in respect of orthodontic treatment. The changes to regulations and the scale of fees which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 23 June took account of concerns raised by orthodontists, in ways which will significantly reduce the effects on orthodontists of lowering the prior approval limit. The Dental Practice Board has estimated that some 70 per cent of all orthodontic treatment will be able to proceed without the need for prior approval.

Ms. Janet Anderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff have been employed by the Dental Practice Board in each year since 1987; and if she will make a statement.

Dr. Mawhinney

The information requested is as follows:

Year ending 31 March Staff 1
1986–87 1,631
1987–88 1,497
1988–89 1,369
1989–90 1,268
1990–91 1,220
1991–92 1,126
1 Full-time equivalent of permanent and temporary staff including allowance for overtime employed on average during the year.

Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will instruct the Staffordshire family health services authority to employ a salaried dentist as a matter of urgency.

Dr. Mawhinney

It is for family health services authorities to decide whether they should apply for authority to appoint a salaried dentist.