§ Geraldine SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been made available to the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency for NHS dental provision. [60776]
§ Jacqui SmithInformation on funding of national health service dental provision is not available on a constituency basis.
The gross fees paid to general dental practitioners (GDP) within the old Morecambe bay health authority area, for providing NHS dental treatment, were £9.28 million in 2001–02. Additional sums are paid to GDPs, for example to reimburse business rates. Funding for hospital and community dental services is drawn from the health authority's main allocation. This information is not identified separately.
In 2001–02 the following additional funds were made available to Morecambe bay health authority to improve NHS dental services:
£308,000 revenue and £312,000 capital to establish a personal dental services dental access centre pilot scheme (DAC). The DAC has surgeries in Barrow and in Lancaster, to offer unregistered patients access to dental services. The revenue funding available for the current year for this DAC is up to £820,000 and a further capital payment will be made of around £160,000. The service aim is to treat up to 17,000 patients a year when both centres are fully operational.
726WAn allocation of £270,800 was made in 2001–02 to GDPs from the modernisation fund for grants to local dental practices to provide practice improvements and additional facilities.
£7,500 was allocated to the health authority from the dental action plan fund to enable additional patient registrations to be secured.