HC Deb 30 July 1997 vol 299 cc393-4W
Mrs. Ballard

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the spending on(a) NHS dentistry and (b) directly employed NHS community dentists for each of the last five years. [11091]

Mr. Milburn

Expenditure on general dental services, the main element of national health service dentistry, and the community dental services in England between 1992–93 and 1996–97 is given in the tables. For the CDS in 1994–95 and 1995–96, we have only information provided by NHS trusts on their expenditure on paediatric dental community services. Information for 1996–97 will not be available until the end of the year.

align="center">Table 1: General dental service: Expenditure1 on NHS dentistry from the year ending 1992–93 to 1996–97
Expenditure on general dental services, England
align="right">£ million
Year Gross expenditure Net expenditure
1992–93 1,306 911
1993–94 1,222 855
1994–95 1,279 896
1995–96 1,290 908
1996–972 1,323 940
1 Figures are based on appropriation accounts (cash) data. Net expenditure shows cost after taking account of patient charge income, net of refunds.
2 Data for 1996–97 is provisional.

Table 2: Expenditure on the community dental service from year ending 1992–93 to 1993–94
Expenditure on community dental services, England £ million
Year Expenditure
1992–931 75.8
1993–941 78.5
1 The figures include all expenditure on clinical dentists and medical anaesthetic staff together with technical dental and secretarial support staff. It also includes staff expenses, drugs, other medical supplies, and all furniture and equipment. Based on annual financial returns of regional and district health authorities, and NHS trusts.
align="center">Table 3: Expenditure on the paediatric dental community service from year ending 1994–95 to 1995–96
Expenditure on paediatric dental community service, England
£ million
Year Expenditure
1994–951 84.0
1995–961 88.4
1 The figures include all expenditure on surveillance, investigation and treatment of dental disease in the community. It also includes overheads. The figure excludes dental health education and costs of fluoridation.