§ Mrs. WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients who had registered with dentists for NHS dental care have subsequently been de-registered by their dentist.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe available information shows that between 1 October 1990, when patients first registered with dentists, and 30 September 1992, a total of 7,632,613 patients were removed from the dental lists. During the same period there were 35,993,965 additions to the list. Removal from the list occurs for a variety of reasons, for example, dentists' retirement, patients wanting to change dentists and patients moving area. Removals from the list can be instigated by either the dentist or the patient, but are not separately identified.