Dental Services (Hansard, 29 June 1993)

§ Mr. Gareth Wardell
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each family health service authority area in Wales the number of general dental practitioners that are available on call for carrying out emergency treatment outside normal surgery hours.

§ Mr. Gwilym Jones
This information is not available centrally. General dental practitioners are obliged by their terms and conditions of service to provide emergency cover for their registered patients. It is for family health services authorities to satisfy themselves as to the adequacy of local arrangements for providing emergency dental treatment outside normal surgery hours.

§ Mr. Gareth Wardell
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what study his Department has made of the adequacy of the community dental services in meeting the needs of all children who have difficulty in accessing general dental services; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Gwilym Jones
It is a matter for local health authorities to determine the appropriate level of community dental service provision within their areas. Returns submitted by family health services authorities in Wales indicate that a significant majority of general dental practitioners in Wales continue to provide national health service treatment for children.

§ Mr. Gareth Wardell
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to encourage adults in west Glamorgan who remain unregistered for regular dental care to use the community dental service.

§ Mr. Gwilym Jones
Local management responsibility for general dental service in west Glamorgan rests with the family health services authority. Returns submitted by that authority to the Welsh Office indicate that all patients who seek general dental services treatment in west Glamorgan are able to obtain it.

§ Mr. Gareth Wardell
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how' many salaried dentists are employed by each family health services authority in Wales.

§ Mr. Gwilym Jones
Approval has been given for Dyfed and Gwynedd family health services authorities to employ 475W a total of six whole-time equivalent salaried dentists. Both authorities are in the process of identifying suitable applicants and premises to accommodate them.