§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of whether discharges of mercury from dental surgeries pose an environmental risk.
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§ Mr. Gwilym JonesAll persons charged with the maintenance and operation of dental surgeries are covered by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988, as amended. On the basis of an international standard specification, dental practices are required to install units to extract solid amalgam for recycling.
The Health and Safety Executive has inspectorial rights generally, and family health service authorities have the right of access to premises where general dental services are provided, to confirm appropriate standards of provision.
There is no evidence to suggest that free metallic mercury from dental practices is presenting a significant hazard to the environment. The use of capsulated materials prevents the release of mercury vapour or liquid into the environment.
§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by family health service authority area the general dental practitioners who are now de-registering national health services patients.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesThe information is not held centrally. I am aware that some de-registration is taking place in all authority areas, for a variety of reasons. Nevertheless, the overall number of NHS registrations in Wales continues to rise, and stood at 58.5 per cent. of the population as at 30 September 1992. This is a higher proportion than health departments or the profession anticipated at this stage of the contract.
§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many new patients have been registered with dentists in Wales in each of the last three years; and how many were(a) children receiving NHS treatment, (b) children receiving non-NHS treatment, (c) adults receiving non-NHS treatment, (d) adults receiving NHS treatment but not entitled to exemption payments and (e) adults receiving NHS dental treatment and receiving exemption payment;
(2) how many dentists have been operational in Wales in each of the last three years; and what are (a) the total numbers of (i) NHS and (ii) non-NHS children treated in each year and (b) the total numbers of (1) NHS and (2) non-NHS adult patients treated.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesThe number of dental practitioners who were in contract with family health services authorities in Wales in each of the past three years is as follows:
- As at 1 October 1990: 837
- As at 1 October 1991: 832
- As at 30 June 1992: 844
Information is not held centrally on non-NHS treatment.
Information on the number of patients receiving NHS treatment is not available, however the number of patients registered with a GDP in Wales is as follows:
Children Adults As at 30 September 1991 388,495 891,380 As at 30 September 1992 416,308 1,270,178 Since the introduction of the new contract in October 1990, information is not available centrally on the number of NHS courses of treatment undergone by children as 797W treatment for children is now paid for on a capitation basis. The number of NHS courses of treatment undergone by adults in Wales in 1991–92 was 1,342,273. Of these 74.8 per cent. had a patient charge and 25.2 per cent. had remission or exemption of charges. As charges and remission/exemption are for a particular course of treatment, it is not possible to say how many people these figures relate to.