HC Deb 28 March 1995 vol 257 cc561-4W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make an urgent response to the consultations concluded on 30 November 1994 on the Green Paper, "Improving NHS Dentistry". [15983]

Mr. Malone

The Government are considering carefully all the contributions received during the consultation. An announcement will be made shortly.

Mrs. Beckett

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her answer of 13 March,Official Report, column 400, how many letters from the public mentioned concern with problems of gaining access to NHS dental services en passant; and how many letters from (a) hon. Members, (b) community health councils, (c) local authorities, (d) professional organisations and (e) patient groups have been received. [16400]

Mr. Malone

Since January 1994 some 209 letters in which the main point has been availability of general dental services have been received from hon. and right hon. Members. Additionally, two letters have been received direct from patient groups and one letter direct from a professional group.

Family health services authorities consistently report that they can help patients to find national health service dentists.

Mrs. Beckett

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many family health services authorities have been unable to provide emergency dental services in each month since April 1991. [16402]

Mr. Malone

General dental practitioners have an obligation under their terms of service to provide emergency cover to their registered patients. They may also offer emergency treatment to non-registered patients. Family health services authorities can make arrangements for emergency treatment for those patients who are not registered and are able to assist all those who inquire about emergency treatment.

Where there are already adequate emergency services available from general dental practitioners, or the community or hospital dental services, there is no need for FHSAs themselves to make arrangements.

Information on provision of emergency dental services by family health services authorities is available only for the period from July 1992 to July 1994. Data were received on a weekly rather than a monthly basis and are shown weekly in the table. Since 1 August 1994 more detailed data have been collected weekly on the number of patients referred to the emergency dental service, the community dental service, hospital dental service and salaried dentists instead.

General dental service: Total number of family health services

authorities reporting that they were not providing emergency

dental services in each week from 3 July 1992 to 29 July 19941 3
Week ending FHSAs
England
3 July 1992 13
10 July 1992 7
17 July 1992 8
24 July 1992 7
31 July 1992 8
7 August 1992 8
14 August 1992 7
21 August 1992 7
28 August 1992 8

General dental service: Total number of family health services

authorities reporting that they were not providing emergency

dental services in each week from 3 July 1992 to 29 July 19941 3
Week ending FHSAs
4 September 1992 8
11 September 1992 8
18 September 1992 8
25 September 1992 8
2 October 1992 8
9 October 1992 8
16 October 1992 8
23 October 1992 8
30 October 1992 8
6 November 1992 8
13 November 1992 7
20 November 1992 7
27 November 1992 7
4 December 1992 6
11 December 1992 6
18 December 1992 6
25 December 1992 —
1 January 1993 —
8 January 1993 6
15 January 1993 6
22 January 1993 6
29 January 1993 6
5 February 1993 6
12 February 1993 6
19 February 1993 6
26 February 1993 4
5 March 1993 7
12 March 1993 5
19 March 1993 5
26 March 1993 6
2 April 1993 6
9 April 1993 5
16 April 1993 5
23 April 1993 7
30 April 1993 5
7 May 1993 6
14 May 1993 6
21 May 1993 5
28 May 1993 6
4 June 1993 7
11 June 1993 6
18 June 1993 5
25 June 1993 5
2 July 1993 6
9 July 1993 5
16 July 1993 5
23 July 1993 5
30 July 1993 6
6 August 1993 5
13 August 1993 6
20 August 1993 6
27 August 1993 6
3 September 1993 5
10 September 1993 5
17 September 1993 5
24 September 1993 5
1 October 1993 5
08 October 1993 5
15 October 1993 5
22 October 1993 8
29 October 1993 7
5 November 1993 8
12 November 1993 6
19 November 1993 5
26 November 1993 6
3 December 1993 6
10 December 1993 6
17 December 1993 5
24 December 1993 —
31 December 1993 —
7 January 1994 6

General dental service: Total number of family health services

authorities reporting that they were not providing emergency

dental services in each week from 3 July 1992 to 29 July 19941 3
Week ending FHSAs
14 January 1994 6
21 January 1994 7
28 January 1994 5
4 February 1994 6
11 February 1994 6
28 February 1994 5
25 February 1994 7
4 March 1994 6
11 March 1994 5
18 March 1994 5
25 March 1994 5
1 April 1994 6
8 April 1994 2—
15 April 1994 8
22 April 1994 8
29 April 1994 6
6 May 1994 5
13 May 1994 5
20 May 1994 5
27 May 1994 5
3 June 1994 7
10 June 1994 4
17 June 1994 4
24 June 1994 4
1 July 1994 4
8 July 1994 4
15 July 1994 4
22 July 1994 4
29 July 1994 6

Notes:

1 Data was not collected during the Christmas and new year periods.

2 Data received for the week ending 8 April 1994 are not compatible to the other data.

3 From the 1 August 1994 the data is not available.

Source:

Department of Health.