HC Deb 26 February 1987 vol 111 cc397-8W
Mr. Conway

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he has taken to implement the recommendations of the committee of inquiry into unnecessary dental treatment.

Mrs. Currie

I am pleased to announce that 32 of the committee's 52 recommendations have been or are in the process of being implemented. Active discussions are taking place about the implementation of a further 15. Progress on the major proposals is summarised as follows.

The Dental Estimates Board was supplied with a new more powerful computer last year and work to develop better control systems is at an advanced stage. A statistician has been seconded from my Department to assist the board with this work. To improve liaison between the board and the dental profession, the board has started publishing occasional newsletters, which will inform dentists of the board's views on certain treatments including those requiring the board's prior approval.

The prior approval requirements themselves are under review and proposals will be discussed with the profession in the near future. As already announced a committee has begun work to consider methods of assisting the board in the assessment of the need for orthodontic treatment.

To improve standards of .treatment a new vocational training scheme for dentists wishing to enter general dental practice is to be introduced on 1 January 1988. This voluntary scheme is being introduced with the cooperation of the dental profession which we welcome.

Information to patients on dental treatment has been revised in a leaflet issued in July last year. It includes details of the complaints procedure (which is also the subject of separate consultations as part of the consultations in progress on the complaints procedure for family practitioner services as a whole.) Advice has been issued to family practitioner committees on their role in monitoring and detecting unnecessary treatment. Consultations have begun with the FPCs and other interested bodies on amendments to the legal procedures which provide sanctions against dentists who are providing excessive treatment.

The staffing of the Department's dental reference services has been increased and a study has been started with the objective of improving the effectiveness of the DRS.

In these ways I am satisfied that considerable progress has been, and is being, made.