HC Deb 16 March 1993 vol 221 cc233-4W
Dr. Godman

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) the number and amount of dental payments made and (b) the number of registered dental patients in each of the past five years.

Mr. Stewart

[holding answer 15 March 1993]: The number of claims made by dentists and the remuneration received by dentists in Scotland for the provision of NHS services as reflected in the total gross fees authorised for payments to dentists, which include the value of charges paid by patients, is shown in table 1 for the last five financial years. From October 1990 child patients could be registered with a dentist under capitation arrangements which cover most care and treatment. The figures for claims for dentists therefore exclude all treatment to children under capitation from October 1990 onwards. The figures for gross payments, however, include the cost of capitation patients. Formal arrangements for patients to be registered with a specific dentist were introduced under the new contract for general dental services on 1 October 1990. No information about registration is therefore available prior to October 1990. The number of adult and child patients registered since October 1990 is contained in table 2.

TABLE 1
Claims by and payments to dentists in Scotland
Year Number of Claims made by Dentists Gross Payment to Dentists £ million
1987–88 3,005,659 74.659
1988–89 3,105,882 85.352
1989–90 3,080,703 94.393
1990–91 2,725,812 111.463
1991–92 2,484,539 132.822

TABLE 2
Number of Patients registered with a dentist in Scotland
December 1990 December 1991 December 1992
Children 292,769 662,809 732,605
Adults 819,906 1,802,135 1,996,171
Total 1,112,675 2,464,944 2,728,776

Dr. Godman

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average cost of dental treatment in(a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole for the latest year for which figures are accessible.

Mr. Stewart

[holding answer .15 March 1993]: The average cost of a course of dental treatment in each of the health board areas within Strathclyde region and the average cost in Scotland as a whole for 1991–92 is contained in the table. The average cost is based on the cost of all adult treatments and certain treatments provided for children outside capitation arrangements, and includes the value of charges paid by patients. The cost of the majority of treatment provided to children which is under capitation arrangements is not included in the table as under capitation children do not have individual courses of treatment but receive all care and treatment needed on a continuing basis, for which dentists are paid regular standard payments. Information for individual local government regions is not available.

Average cost per course of dental treatment in Scotland: 1991–92
Health Board Average cost per course of dental treatment 1991–92 (£)
Argyll and Clyde 43
Ayrshire and Arran 40
Greater Glasgow 49
Lanarkshire 44
All Scotland 40