§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the current average levels of charges for(a) glasses, (b) dental treatment, (c) eye tests and (d) dental checks; how many of each took place in each of the last five years in Nottingham health authority; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleySince July 1986 all spectacle dispensings, and since April 1989 a large proportion of sight tests, have been carried out privately. No information is collected on the levels of private charges. The maximum charge for lenses prescribed by the hospital eye service is £63.15.
The average patient charge for a course of dental treatment paid by patients paying the full charge in the 406W financial year 1990–91 was approximately £26. There are three levels of dental examination for which the associated patient's charge is £3.75, £5.25 and £12.
It is not possible to provide figures on a comparable basis for the number of sight tests carried out over the period requested as figures are not collected on the number of sight tests carried out privately.
The numbers of dental examinations and dental treatments provided under the general dental services in Nottinghamshire family health services authority in the last five years is shown in the table.
Dental examinations Dental treatments 1985 635,560 692,120 1986–87 652,660 715,870 1987–88 651,480 724,580 1988–89 671,930 761,950 1989–90 623,049 722,966 The figures in 1988–89 were boosted by the announcement during the year of the proposed introduction of a charge for dental examinations from January 1989, and depressed in 1989–90 because people had brought forward their visits to the dentist. The evidence suggests that the number of dental examinations in England and Wales is now returning to the level it had reached before the announcement of the charge was made. The number of courses of dental treatment carried out in England has increased by 4.9 million, or 18 per cent., since 1979.