HC Deb 12 May 2004 vol 421 cc450-1W
Mr. Hunter

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take further measures to increase the availability of NHS dentistry. [168095]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The Government are committed to rebuilding and restoring national health service dentistry to improve oral health. New legislation in the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 will underpin a modernised, high-quality primary dental service, properly integrated with the rest of the NHS The aim is to deliver better access to services, better working lives for dentists and their teams, better oral health and an improved patient experience.

As part of the new arrangements, the current remuneration system, which is based on item of service fees, will be abolished and replaced by a much simpler contract. Under transitional arrangements we are developing a simple but robust 'base contract' which all dentists and primary care trusts (PCTs) will be able to put in place from 2005. These transitional arrangements will provide protection of dentists gross earnings for three years to enable them to come off the treadmill of item of service fees to see their patients at intervals appropriate to their oral health needs and to modernise and adjust their workload. These proposals are set out in "Framework proposals for primary dental services in England from 2005" which was published on 24 February and on which we have been seeking views from dental representative bodies.

In the meantime we have provided new investment totalling £90 million to NHS dentistry over the last year. £59 million will support access and is aimed at increasing access to NHS dentistry for patients. Strategic health authorities have been advised of their shares and are working with their PCTs to address access issues. £30 million is to support information technology and the balance of £1 million will support organisational development locally.

Mr. Dhanda

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to improve NHS dentistry for pensioners in Gloucester. [169984]

Ms Rosie Winterton

We have provided new investment totalling £90 million to national health service dentistry over the last year. £59 million will support access, and strategic health authorities (SHAs) have been advised of their shares and are working with their primary care trusts (PCTs), including those in Gloucestershire, to address access issues. £30 million is to support information technology and the balance of £1 million will support organisational development locally.

In Gloucestershire, the existing dental access centres offer emergency and routine dental treatment—this is prioritised according to patients' needs and the demands placed on the service.

All the PCTs in Gloucestershire have been invited by Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA to submit proposals to improve access to dental care, funded through the SHA's £2 million share of the access funding. They are also exploring the possibility of establishing an outreach-teaching pilot for dental and dental therapy students with Bristol University.

West Gloucestershire PCT is one of the 16 PCTs in England with which the NHS dentistry support team is working. The support team has made several visits to Gloucestershire towards the end of 2003, and an action plan to establish new dental practices in Cinderford, in the Forest of Dean, and Gloucester City will be agreed by the end of April 2004. Additionally, work is underway to explore the potential for overseas recruitment in Gloucestershire.

This work is to improve NHS dentistry for all patients in Gloucester including pensioners