§ Lord Ahmedasked Her Majesty's Government:
What measures they are taking to improve the oral health of minority ethnic communities; and what financial resources are being given by the Department of Health or the NHS Executive to support these efforts. [HL845]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hayman)We attach the highest priority to reducing inequalities in health, including oral health. The recently published Report of theIndependent Inquiry into Inequalities in Health set up by the Government in July 1997 and chaired by Sir Donald Acheson, the former Chief Medical Officer, is evidence of our commitment. The report recommends the fluoridation of water as the most efficient means of reducing inequalities in dental health and we will shortly be announcing our approach to fluoridation.
There have also been projects targeted more directly at ethnic communities. In 1995 the department allocated a total of £50,000 to the following projects:
Camden and Islington Health Authority promotion of oral health among pre-school children in the Bangladeshi community;
City and East London Health Authority advice to the Bangladeshi and Gujerati communities of East London on the association between 62WA betel quid chewing and oral cancer and measures to reduce this high risk behaviour;
North Thames Regional Health Authority improved access to primary medical and dental care for gypsies and travellers in Hertfordshire;
Northern and Yorkshire Regional Health Authority assessment of oral health promotion needs of Chinese and Vietnamese communities and production of leaflets and videotapes.
In 1997 we allocated a further £13,000 to the Health Education Authority to translate their guidance leaflets on oral health into Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, and Chinese.