§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will now publish the Government's response to the fundamental review of dental remuneration and the oral health strategy for England.
§ Dr. MawhinneyOur proposals will be announced in due course.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practitioners there are currently offering dental treatment on the NHS in England to new patients seeking to be registered with them for NHS dental purposes; and what was the corresponding figure in October 1990.
§ Dr. MawhinneyDentists are independent contractors and free to choose whether or not to accept any individual patient, or category of patients, for national health service treatment and to review their decisions at any time.
At 30 September 1993 there were 15,773 dentists, including principals, assistants and vocational trainees, in contract with family health services authorities. The corresponding number at 30 September 1990 was 15,480.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in England have left the national hearth service since October 1990, but who are continuing to offer dental services on a private basis.
§ Dr. MawhinneyDentists are not required to disclose their intentions on termination of their contracts with family health services authorities.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental patients have been removed from the NHS dentists' lists since the introduction of the dental contract in October 1990.
§ Dr. MawhinneyDuring the period 1 October 1990 to 30 November 1993 there were 50.9 million registrations and 21.7 million deletions from the dental register. The number of patients registered at 30 November 1994 was therefore 29.2 million.