Dental Laboratories

HC Deb 04 March 1997 vol 291 cc566-7W

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's policy in respect of third-party accreditation of dental laboratories. [18465]

Mr. Malone

The Government support the principles of third-party accreditation of dental laboratories, highlighted in their response to the fourth report from the Health Select Committee, Session 1992–93.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what measures his Department has taken to control the levels of laboratory prices charged by dentists; [18446]

(2) what measures he has taken to ensure the laboratory expense element of dentists' NHS work is properly accounted for; [18466]

(3) what role his Department has, and what consultations it has had, in determining how and where the annual expenditure on laboratory treatment is spent. [18447]

Mr. Malone

None. Dentists are paid a fee for each item of service which covers both remuneration and the expenses met by a dentist in providing treatment. These expenses include any laboratory expenses. Dentists decide for themselves which laboratories they use and they then make entirely private transactions with those laboratories. The control of the level of laboratory prices is, therefore, a matter for individual dentists.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons statistics are not available on the(a) levels of dental laboratory work and (b) cost of dental laboratory items. [18444]

Mr. Malone

These statistics are not collected centrally. They are a matter for laboratories and their customers.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department has taken to safeguard the quality of dental appliances for which dentists are paid a fixed fee; and if he will issue guidelines containing indicative costs for laboratory work. [18443]

Mr. Malone

National health service dentists are required by law to employ a proper degree of skill and attention and to use only materials which are suitable for the purposes for which they are used. The work of dentists is monitored by the dental reference service. There are no plans to issue guidelines containing indicative costs of laboratory work.