HC Deb 22 December 1997 vol 303 cc526-9W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made of the proportion of dental patients who request a second professional opinion before allowing treatment to go ahead. [18726]

Mr. Milburn

Patients who may seek the professional opinion of a second dentist wold not be recorded. The Dental Reference Service of the Dental Practice Board for England and Wales undertook 724 examinations of National Health Service dental patients at the request of the dentist or the patient in the year to 1 December 1997.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of alleged dental malpractice and incompetence were notified to him by community health councils for the last year for which figures are available. [18727]

Mr. Milburn

Responsibility for investigating such allegations lies with the General Dental Council which has statutory functions under the Dentists Act 1984 in relation to both the professional conduct and the fitness to practise of dentists in the United Kingdom. The Council has a statutory remit to promote high standards of professional conduct among dentists.

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practitioners were in practice in the Greater London area at the latest available date. [19556]

Mr. Milburn

In the Greater London area there were 2,932 General Dental Service dentists on health authority lists at 30 September 1997. This figure includes principal dentists, assistants and vocational trainees. It does not include salaried, hospital or community dentists or dentists working solely in private practice.

Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people he estimates will be de-registered from NHS dental practices in the UK during 1998, as a result of the reduction in registration period from 24 to 15 months. [20997]

Mr. Milburn

From 1 September 1996, the registration period for both adult continuing care and child capitation was harmonised to provide patients with a period of continuing dental care for 15 months following each course of treatment. The most recent estimate is that registration numbers may gradually fall by about 4 million as a result of this change. However, the actual effect on the number of patients registered with a dentist will depend on the response to the incentive for many patients to attend the dentist on a more regular basis.

We estimate, on the same basis, that United Kingdom registration numbers may gradually fall by 4.5 million as a result of the change in registration period.

Regular attenders will be unaffected by the change as their registration period will roll forward when they attend their dentist.

Dentists are free to re-register any patients whose registrations have lapsed. It is for dentists to decide whether they wish to accept any patients onto their list.

Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of patients who will be de-registered from their dentists, as a result of the new regulations relating to the de-registering of patients who have not visited their dentist within the last 15 months(a) in total and (b) in Cornwall, in (i) numerical and (ii) percentage terms. [21323]

Mr. Milburn

From 1 September 1996, the registration period for both adult continuing care and child capitation payments was harmonised to provide patients with a period of continuing care for 15 months following each course of treatment. The most recent estimate is that registration numbers may gradually fall by 4 million as a result of this change.

This would represent about 15 per cent. of the total number of patients registered at 31 October 1997 (26.8 million) in England. No estimates for individual health authorities have been made.

Regular attenders will be unaffected by the change as their registration period will roll forward when they attend their dentist.

Dentists are free to re-register any patients whose registrations have lapsed. It is for dentists to decide whether they wish to accept any patient onto their list.

Mrs. Ballard

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will require NHS dentists to display prominently in their surgeries a list of(a) services and prices for treatment available on the NHS and (b) services available on the NHS dependent on the clinical advice of the dentist. [21640]

Mr. Milburn

Dentists are already required under their terms of service to display in a prominent position such information about charges for general dental services as the health authority for their area may approve, in accordance with any directions given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The information required includes how to get details of entitlement to, exemption from and remission of charges. Dentists are also required to compile and make available, to any person who reasonably requires one, a document about the provision of general dental services at their practice premises.

Mrs. Ballard

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the implications of the NHS White Paper on NHS dentistry. [21639]

Mr. Milburn

The White Paper sets out how the Government intend to build a modern and dependable National Health Service for the future. Health authorities will work with NHS trusts and Primary Care Groups to develop a Health Improvement Programme for their area. Dentists will be drawn into that process to contribute as appropriate to the planning and provision of services. Dentists also have their own separate and distinct contributions to make to the NHS and the Government will continue its dialogue with them about how they can best develop it.

Mrs. Ballard

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the percentage of(a) the adult and (b) the child population registered with an NHS dentist, by health authority. [21900]

Mr. Milburn

The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's latest estimate of the number, and proportion, of people registered with a dentist in Coventry. [21903]

Mr. Milburn

On 31 October 1997, 125,451 adults and 45,005 children were registered with a General Dental Service dentist practising from premises in the Coventry Health Authority area. These figures represent 36 per cent. and 70 per cent. respectively of the adult and child populations of Coventry at 30 June 1996.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department is taking to ensure that the nation's oral health is maintained. [21902]

Mr. Milburn

The Government are committed to National Health Service dentistry and have stated our intention to see it improved further. We intend to reduce inequalities in oral health status and to improve access to NHS services.

In September, we announced a £9 million new initiative Investing in Dentistry. This will help to improve the availability of General Dental Services and extend the benefits of good oral health by focusing help on those areas of the country where problems are most acute, enabling dentists to expand existing practices and set up new ones.

We are going ahead with the piloting of Personal Dental Services. This will encourage partnerships between health authorities and dentists to develop more flexible ways of providing primary oral health care to attune it better to local needs. An announcement on the expressions of interest we have received will be made shortly, but we are encouraged by the number and quality of the proposals that have been received.

Additionally, changes to the registration periods for both adult continuing care and child capitation patients will improve value for money by focusing payments to dentists on those patients receiving active care from them. Any savings generated will be put back into the General Dental Service, in a targeted way to achieve better oral health for the population.