§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists were employed by the National Health Service in each of the last three years in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Devon. [153737]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 14 March 2001]: The number of dentists employed by the National Health Service at 30 September in each of the years 1998 to 2000 is given in table 1 for each of the dental services for England and Devon. Issues relating to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are matters for the devolved authorities.
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Table 1: Number of dentists (head count) at 30 September each year 1998 1999 2000 England Hospital Dental Service1 2,220 2,250 2,190 Community Dental Service1 1,380 1,370 1,340 Personal Dental Service2 0 148 326 Salaried Service 186 137 131 Total1.3 3,800 3,900 3,990 Devon Hospital Dental Service1.4 40 30 40 Community Dental Service1 20 30 20 Personal Dental Service2 0 0 0 Salaried Service 18 18 17 Total1.3.4 80 80 80 1Figures rounded to the nearest ten 2Includes some self-employed dentists and their dentist employees 3Some dentists work in several services and are counted in each service 4Clinical assistants are excluded from the Devon figures. They are employed on a sessional basis and generally work less than one day a week Dentists providing dental services in the General Dental Services are not employees of the NHS. The number of principal dentists who were on health authority lists to provide dental services and their assistants and vocational dental practitioners are shown in table 2.
Table 2: Number of General Dental Service dentists (head count) at 30 September each year 1998 1999 2000 England 17.247 17,721 18,049 Devon 397 424 445