HC Deb 26 April 1993 vol 223 cc274-6W
Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many salaried dentists are currently employed within each health district in England.

Dr. Mawhinney

The information provided by the Dental Practice Board by family health services authority area at 31 December 1992 is shown in the table. The information relating to the first quarter of 1993 is not yet available.

Salaried dentists for each family health services authority 31 December 1992
Family Health Services Authority Number of salaried dentists employed
Buckinghamshire 1
Cambridgeshire 2
City and East London 8
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 2
Derbyshire 1
Essex 2
Greenwich and Bexley 8
Kensington, Westminster and Chelsea 8
Kent 3
Family Health Services Authority Number of salaried dentists employed
Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 27
Liverpool 2
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 1
Salford 1
Somerset 4
West Sussex 1
Total 71

Mrs. Ray Michie

To ask the Secretary of State for Health where the pilot scheme is operating which has been agreed between her Department and the British Dental Association for financial assistance towards the setting up or expansion of dental practices within family health services authorities; what is the cost to date of the scheme; how many practices have been awarded assistance; what plans there are to extend the scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Dr. Mawhinney

The 68 family health services authorities taking part in the pilot scheme, aimed at encouraging dentists to set up or expand their practices in areas which need more dentists, are:

  • Avon
  • Barking/Havering
  • Barnet
  • Barnsley
  • Bedfordshire
  • Berkshire
  • Birmingham
  • Buckinghamshire
  • Calderdale
  • Cambridgeshire
  • Camden/Islington
  • City/East London
  • Cornwall/Isles of Scilly
  • Coventry
  • Cumbria
  • Derbyshire
  • Devon
  • Doncaster
  • Dorset
  • Durham
  • Ealing/Hammersmith/Hounslow
  • East Sussex
  • Enfield/Haringey
  • Essex
  • Gateshead
  • Greenwich/Bexley
  • Hampshire
  • Hillingdon
  • Humberside
  • Isle of Wight
  • Kensington/Chelsea/Westminster
  • Kent
  • Kingston/Richmond
  • Kirklees
  • Lambeth/Southwark/Lewisham
  • Lancashire
  • Leeds
  • Leicestershire
  • Lincolnshire
  • Liverpool
  • Manchester
  • Merton/Sutton/Wandsworth
  • Norfolk
  • Northamptonshire
  • North Yorkshire
  • Nottingham
  • Oxfordshire
  • Redbridge/Waltham Forest
  • Rotherham
  • 276
  • St. Helens/Knowsley
  • Salford
  • Sandwell
  • Sefton
  • Sheffield
  • Shropshire
  • Solihull
  • South Tyneside
  • Staffordshire
  • Stockport
  • Surrey
  • Suffolk
  • Sunderland
  • Trafford
  • Wakefield
  • Walsall
  • West Sussex
  • Wiltshire
  • Wolverhampton

Since 1989 when the scheme started, the Department has spent over £720,000 and 140 practices have benefited. An assessment of the scheme is being undertaken and any decisions about its future will be made in the light of the outcome of the assessment.

Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on the number of dentists who offer NHS patients the option of a Denplan care programme as an alternative.

Dr. Mawhinney

None. Private dental treatment is entirely a matter between individual patients and dentists.