§ Ms. EagleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many orthodontic practitioners there are in the Wirral; what was the volume of treatments they have given in each of the last five years; and how many of such orthodontic treatments cost over £200, expressed both numerically and as a percentage of the whole.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThere are four orthodontic practitioners on the Wirral family health services authority's dental list. More detailed information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Terry DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total cost of establishing a salaried dental practice within the framework of a family health services association; and what are its cost components.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe main elements involved in employing a salaried dentist are the salaries of the dentist and the auxiliary dental staff and the cost of the premises. The salary scales for a salaried dentist and dental auxiliaries range from £18,755 to £27,305 and from £6,118 to £18,039 respectively. The cost of premises varies from area to area.
§ Mr. Terry DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated by salaried dentists in the last convenient yearly period in each of the regional health authorities in England and Wales; and what percentage of the total number of patients treated this represents in each region.
§ Dr. MawhinneyInformation collected about the number of patients treated is not distinguished by region. For the financial year 1991–92 there were 16,029 courses of treatment undertaken by salaried dentists in England and Wales. This represents 0.06 per cent. of the total.
§ Mr. Terry DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many salaried dentists have been appointed during the last three-year period.
§ Dr. MawhinneyIn the three-year period to April 1992, 47 salaried dentists were appointed by family health services authorities.
§ Mr. Terry DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many salaried dentists currently operate within the national health service; and what is their distribution on a family health services association basis.
§ Dr. MawhinneyInformation available at the end of April 1992 is shown in the table:
436W
Family health services authority Number of dentists Derbyshire 1 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster 3 Essex 2
Family health services authority Number of dentists City and East London 6 Kent 1 Greenwich and Bexley 7 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 29 West Sussex 1 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 1 Cornwall and Isles of Stilly 1 Sandwell 1 Liverpool 2 Total 55
§ Mr. Terry DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what machinery is in place to monitor the cost-effectiveness and productivity of salaried dentists currently practising within the NHS.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThis is the managerial responsibility of each family health services authority employing a salaried dentist.