HC Deb 27 June 1967 vol 749 c75W
Mr. Bishop

asked the Minister of Health what representations have been made to him concerning the condition laid down in the General Dental Regulations that dental practitioners practising in health centres must be remunerated on a salaried rather than item-for-item or fees basis; and whether it is proposed to give dentists using health centres an option to choose the method of remuneration.

Mr. K. Robinson

None recently; the regulations were amended on 13th March, 1967, to give dentists using health centres the option of remuneration either by salary or by fee for item of service.

Mr. Bishop

asked the Minister of Health whether he will seek to modify the National Health Service Act with a view to making it possible for local authorities to offer full-time salaried employment to doctors, dentists and opticians working in health centres.

Mr. K. Robinson

Local health authorities can employ their staff on a salaried basis at health centres to meet the needs of their own services. Dentists providing general dental services at health centres can be remunerated by salary by Executive Councils and there is power to provide for the salaried remuneration of general medical practitioners by Executive Councils with the practitioners consent. There is at present no provision for opticians to provide supplementary ophthalmic services at health centres, but apart from this I see no need for any modification of the Act.