§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists(a) are registered and (b) were registered as providing NHS dental treatment (i) in Enfield and (ii) in Haringey in each year since 1997. [28838]
§ Ms BlearsThe number of principal dentists on Enfield and Haringey health authority's list who carry out the majority of their general dental service (GDS) work in that HA area is shown in the table for September in the years 1997 to 2000. Data are also shown for 31 March 2001, the day before the HA was merged with Barnet HA. The total number of GDS dentists is also included in the table.
Separate information for Enfield and Haringey is not available.
Between 1 April 2001 and 30 September 2001 the number of GDS dentists in Barnet, Enfield and Haringey HA increased from 370 to 377 dentists.
272W
General dental service: principal dentists and total number of dentists, 1997 to 2001 Enfield and Haringey health authority1 Principal dentists All GDS dentists2 September 1997 184 194 September 1998 188 198 September 1999 189 205 September 2000 192 209 March 2001 198 213 1 Dentists who do the majority of their work in Enfield and Haringey HA. Excludes dentists in the Enfield and Haringey HA area who do most of their work in other HAs.
2 All GDS dentists cover principal dentists on the health authority list, their assistants and vocational dental practitioners.
§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what notice dentists are required to give patients of the termination of the availability of NHS treatment; and if he will make a statement. [28839]
§ Ms BlearsDentists, as independent contractors, can decide whether or not to accept patients for national health service care and treatment under a continuing care arrangement (for patients over-18 years of age) or under a capitation arrangement (for those under-18).
If a dentist decides to withdraw NHS care arrangements, under the terms of service he has the right to terminate these arrangements, provided that he gives the patients three months notice, in writing, and uses his best endeavours to complete any outstanding treatment, before the arrangements come to an end. He must also notify the health authority accordingly and give details of any care and treatment which he has agreed to provide and which is outstanding, including any arrangements made for completion of that care and treatment.
If a dentist wishes to terminate an arrangement with less than three months notice, he must apply to the HA setting out the reasons and asking the HA to terminate the arrangement. A dentist may ask the HA to terminate the arrangement immediately in the case of violent patients.
§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place to assist patients to register with an NHS dentist; what support is provided where a local dentist is not available; and if he will make a statement. [28840]
§ Ms BlearsWe are committed to ensuring that national health service dentistry is available to all who want it through registration with an NHS dentist or via NHS Direct. In supporting this commitment we have invested over £100 million in the last two years. Significant resources have been invested in personal dental service pilots to improve access to NHS dentistry in areas with significant problems.
Registration can play an important role in promoting oral health through strengthening the relationship between patient and dentist. However, many people do not visit a dentist regularly. The systems are now in place for NHS Direct to advise patients in all parts of the country on where they can find a NHS dentist, within locally defined time and distance standards.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many NHS registered dentists there were in the Buckinghamshire health authority area in each year since 1997; [24854]
(2) how many dental practices in the Buckingham constituency (a) closed and (b) opened in each year since 1997. [24853]
273W
§ Ms BlearsThe total number of dentists and principals in Buckinghamshire health authority 1997 to 2001 are shown in the table.
General dental service: Total number of dentists and principals in Buckinghamshire health authority, 1997–2001 At 30 September each year All GDS dentists Of which: Principal dentists 1997 265 248 1998 260 246 1999 281 262 2000 272 252 2001 294 273 1 Dentists who do the majority of their work in Buckinghamshire HA. Excludes dentists in Buckinghamshire HA area who do most of their work in other HAs. 2 All GDS dentists covers principal dentists who are on the HA's list, their assistants and vocational dental practitioners. In addition two Personal Dental Services schemes have commenced since 1997. The number of dentists were as follows:
September each year Number of dentists of which: also worked in the GDS 1999 13 2 2000 18 3 2001 27 3 The number of dental practices in Buckinghamshire health authority that (a) closed and (b) opened is shown in the table for the years 1997 to 2000 and for January to September 2001. This information is not available by parliamentary constituency.
Number of dental practices that have closed and opened in Buckinghamshire health authority 1997–2001 (a) Practice closed (b) Practice opened 1997 4 8 1998 5 9 1999 3 4 2000 6 10 2001(up to end September) — — 1 Data cover the General Dental Service and Personal Dental Service
§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in Dorset were registered with an NHS dentist in April(a) 1991, (b) 1996, (c) 1997 and (d) 2001. [30319]
§ Ms BlearsThe table shows the number of adults and children registered with a general dental service dentist in Dorset health authority for each of the years 1996, 1997 and 2001.
Comparable data for 1991 are not available as registrations were only introduced in October 1990 and registration numbers had not yet had time to reach consistent levels.
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.
274WSome people who are not registered with a dentist choose to attend occasionally.
General dental service: number of adult and child registrations Dorset HA 30 April each year Adults Children Total 1996 304,958 99,921 404,879 1997 294,422 99,667 394,089 20011 271,711 102,348 374,059 1 Figures affected by the change in the registration periods to 15 months
§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in Dorset were taking new adult NHS patients in each of the years between 1991 and 2000 for which information is available. [30318]
§ Ms BlearsThe number of general dental service dentists taking new adult patients for national health service treatment in Dorset health authority are estimated to be around 88 in 1999 and around 92 in 2000. These figures are estimates for November of each year, and are based on the number of dentists meeting certain registration criteria (including a minimum level for new adult registrations).
These estimates are not available for years prior to 1999.