§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what progress has been made by the health intelligence unit, in collaboration with district health authorities and family health service authorities, to develop measures of consumer satisfaction with dental services;
(2) whether a baseline has been determined in 1993 for the purpose of assessing progress on the reduction in the proportion of 12-year-old children who have sustained dental injuries; and whether definitive criteria for this baseline have been published;
(3) which family health service authorities and district health authorities (a) have submitted to the Welsh Office a programme for the involvement of the resident population of their areas in the planning, provision and improvement of dental services and (b) not submitted such a programme by 31 December 1993;
(4) whether the protocol for investment in health care-oral health remains the basis of dental health policy objectives in Wales; and what assessment he has made of progress towards achieving those objectives;
(5) whether a baseline was determined during 1993 against which dental health gain targets for people without equal opportunity for good oral health can be assessed, based on local dental planning areas; and whether the definitive criteria of this baseline have been published.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesAll health authorities and family health services authorities in Wales have developed action plans to improve the health of their local population by the turn of the century. These are currently being assessed by the Department.
The development of the local strategies for oral health has been guided by the advice issued by the Welsh health planning forum in November 1992. Responsibility for establishing the necessary baseline information and measuring progress towards locally set targets, including those relating to patient satisfaction, rests mainly with health authorities.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress was made during 1993 on achieving the service targets for the proportion of the population registered for capitation for dental purposes in the nought to two years age group; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesThe information is as follows:
241W
1992 Per cent. Position as at 30 September 19931 Percentage of 0 to 2-year-olds in Wales registered with a dentist 17.0 21.0 1 Latest date for which information is available from the Dental Practices Board.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made by the Welsh Office over the past two years in establishing a framework to encourage primary care dental practitioners to become involved in clinical audit; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesLast October, the Department announced its plans for developing clinical audit in Wales. An important part is the proposal to appoint a dental audit adviser whose first task would be 'to strengthen the present arrangements for dental audit and their integration with audit spanning a range of related professional groups.