HC Deb 23 April 1999 vol 329 c725W
Mr. Lock

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in the Wyre Forest constituency area are taking new registrations of NHS patients. [81892]

Mr. Denham

Although there are dentists undertaking National Health Service work, their lists are full and therefore no dentists in the Wyre Forest constituency are currently accepting new NHS patients. The health authority is able to direct patients to dentists in neighbouring areas who are still accepting NHS patients. Emergency pain relief clinics are run in Kidderminster and Worcester. Worcestershire Health Authority has recently submitted a personal dental services pilot for consideration that is intended to tackle local problems of access to a dentist.