§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government plans to set a minimum number of hours to be spent by dentists on NHS patients. [30387]
§ Ms BlearsDentists who are independent contractors are free to choose how much time they wish to devote to the provision of national health service dental services. There are no plans to introduce a requirement for a minimum number of hours that dentists should spend providing NHS treatment. We are committed to the provision of NHS dental care, and have invested £100 million over two years in the form of incentives and grants to modernise services and encourage increased commitment to the NHS. We will continue to work with the profession and other stakeholders on future arrangements for NHS dentistry.
§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what incentives the Government plans to encourage the establishment of new NHS dentists' practices in North Shropshire; [30403]
(2) what local initiatives the Government plans to increase (a) recruitment and (b) retention of NHS dentists in North Shropshire. [30402]
§ Ms BlearsThere are no immediate plans to alter existing arrangements for dentists joining the general dental service. However, discussions are underway nationally, with the profession and other stakeholders, to consider future arrangements for national health service dentistry. Workforce issues are included in those discussions.
Historically Shropshire has had difficulty attracting sufficient dentists offering NHS treatment. In partnership with the two Staffordshire health authorities and the local NHS Workforce Confederation, the HA is commissioning an extensive review of the key employment issues facing local dental teams. This review will also identify local solutions.
Every HA in England has in place a dentistry action plan. These identify local issues and develop solutions. In 2001–02 Shropshire HA was allocated, from national funds, £50,000 to enable general dental service practitioners to register and treat more NHS patients. More recently, an additional £50,000 has been allocated to provide support to practitioners who wish to establish, or expand, NHS practice. Since June 2001 HAs have had powers to use their own resources to address shortfalls in local availability of NHS dentistry.
§ Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were registered with a NHS dentist in the Hillingdon health authority in each of the last seven years. [31447]
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§ Ms BlearsThe number of adult and child patients registered with a general dental service (GDS) dentist in Hillingdon health authority at 30 September for each of the years 1995 to 2001 is shown in the table.
In September 1996, the registration period for new adult and child registrations was shortened to 15 months. Previously adult registrations lasted for 24 months and child registrations expired at the end of the following calendar year. This affected registration numbers from December 1997 onwards. Data for 1995, 1996 and 1997 are not comparable with later years.
Some patients that are not registered with a GDS dentist choose to attend occasionally.
General dental service: Number of adult and child registrations1 Hillingdon health authority
September each year Adults Children Total 19951 106,346 32,957 139,303 19961 104,213 33,604 137,817 19971 106,233 35,163 141,396 1998 90,010 31,741 121,751 1999 86,234 32,186 118,420 2000 85,422 32,853 118,275 2001 82,137 32,681 114,818 1 Affected by the change in registration periods to 15 months.
§ Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists were accepting NHS patients in the Hillingdon health authority in each of the last seven years. [31446]
§ Ms BlearsThe total number of general dental service (GDS) dentists that carry out the majority of their work in Hillingdon health authority at 30 September for each of the years 1995 to 2001 is shown in the table.
The total number of dentists covers principals on a HA list, their assistants and vocational dental practitioners. Although the number of dentists continues to rise, their level of commitment to the GDS varies, mainly due to an increase in private working.
General dental service: Total number of dentists1 providing national health service treatment, 1995 to 2001—Hillingdon health
authority2
September each year Total dentists 1995 90 1996 89 1997 91 1998 95 1999 98 2000 107 2001 104 1 Data cover principal dentists on a health authority list, their assistants and vocational dental practitioners. 2 Dentists who do the majority of their work in Hillingdon HA. Excludes dentists in the Hillingdon HA area who do most of their work in other HAs.