§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which health boards(a) have and (b) have not established emergency dental services since October 1990.
§ Mr. StewartUnder regulations, emergency dental services consist of treatment provided out of hours, at weekends and on public holidays. Health boards may set up such formal emergency dental services where necessary using general dental practitioners and/or community dental staff. General dental practitioners are responsible for providing emergency dental treatment for their own registered patients. In some areas, dental emergencies may also be treated in hospital or on an ad hoc basis. The table shows which Scottish health boards operate formal emergency dental services and when these services were established.
Provision of emergency dental services by health boards in Scotland Emergency dental services available When services established Argyll and Clyde — — Ayrshire and Arran √ 1982 Borders √ 11990 Dumfries and Galloway — — Fife √ 1989 Forth Valley √ 1986 Grampian √ 1982 Greater Glasgow √ 1982 Highland — — Lanarkshire — — Lothian √ 1977 Orkney √ 21990 Shetland √ 21990 Tayside √ 1982 Western Isles — — 1 October. 2 Pre-October.