HC Deb 14 November 1988 vol 140 cc474-5W
Mr. Sean Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions he has had with the British Dental Association and the General Dental Practitioners Association on the pilot schemes relating to dental practice advisers;

(2) whether he will list the pilot scheme areas in respect of dental practice advisers; and when the study will be completed;

(3) what are his Department's criteria for the appointment of dental practice advisers; and what will be the main requirements of such advisers in respect of professional qualifications;

(4) what is his best estimate of the costs involved in respect of each individual dental practice adviser; and how these costs will be funded in aggregate;

(5) whether he will list the expected functions of the proposed dental practice advisers; and whether any extra resources will be provided for their remuneration and training.

Mrs. Currie

The dental practice adviser (DPA) pilot scheme will cover England and Wales and arrangements for its introduction have been discussed with the General Dental Services committee of the British Dental Association as representative of the profession; it will run until early 1991. Guidance has been issued to those family practitioner committees (FPCs) listed who will be responsible for making appointments—on the criteria for selection and proposed functions of DPAs. The cost of the scheme, including training, will be met partly from the additional funds made available for primary care initiatives outlined in the White Paper "Promoting Better Health" and with the agreement of the profession, in respect of DPAs' expenses, partly from a small adjustment in the fees payable to general dental practitioners. During the current financial year each DPA will be paid a sessional fee of £68.27 and an allowance of £42.80 in respect of continuing practice expenses. The participating FPCs are: Avon, Barnet, Bradford, Buckinghamshire, Cheshire, Cleveland, Dorset, Dudley, Dyfedd, Essex, Gwent, Gwynedd, Hampshire, Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster, Lambeth Southwark and Lewisham, Leeds, Lincoln, Manchester, Solihull, South Glamorgan, Staffordshire, Wolverhampton.

I am placing a copy of the guidance to FPCs in the Library.