§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for reform in the NHS regarding(a) dentists and (b) general practitioners. [72391]
§ Mr. LammyWe intend to publish theOptions for Change report on National Health Service dentistry shortly.
Options for Change will propose that new approaches are tested, assessed and fine tuned at a local level through demonstration sites to provide a better deal for patients, dentists and the NHS before any national decision are made. Demonstration sites will be run through the Modernisation Agency who will be inviting formal expressions of interests following the publication of the Options for Change report.
Plans to reform general practice are set out in the new general medical service contract framework, which has been negotiated by the NHS Confederation and the British Medical Association, and accepted by the profession. The Government are committed to investment in return for reform that delivers higher quality and a wider range of primary care services.
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§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of(a) dentists and (b) general practitioners were registered with the NHS in each region in each of the last five years. [72385]
§ Mr. HuttonDentists practising in the United Kingdom must be registered with the General Dental Council (GDC).
The total number of registrations on the GDC register is shown in the table together with the number of dentists working in the National Health Service, in the UK for the five years 1997–98 to 2001–02. The table gives NHS dentists as a percentage of GDC registrations.
Number of dentists on the General Dental Council register and the total number and percentage of dentists working in the NHS United Kingdom Total number of dentists registered1 with the General Dental Council (GDC) (thousands) Total number of NHS dentists2.3 (thousands) NHS dentists as percentage of GDC registrations (per cent.) 1997–98 29.1 25.1 86 1998–99 30.0 25.8 86 1999–2000 31.0 26.4 85 2000–01 31.6 26.8 85 2001–02 31.9 27.4 86 Notes:
1. Dentists registered at 31 December each year.
2. Number of dentists at 30 September each year.
3. Data includes all dentists in the General Dental Service, Personal Dental Service, Community and Hospital Dental Services and salaried dentists.
Equivalent information about general practitioners is not available. All doctors working in the UK must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). Their names then appear on the GMC's Medical Register. However the Medical Register does not differentiate between NHS general practitioners and any other doctors. The Register may also include retired doctors, doctors
Registered GPs in England by Region Year Northern and Yorkshire Trent Eastern London South Eastern South Western West Midlands North West England Total 1996–97 3,553 2,743 2,910 3,868 4,716 2,966 2,855 3,589 27,200 1997–98 3,564 2,764 2,943 3,952 4,759 3,015 2,886 3,606 27,489 1998–99 3,603 2,779 2,958 3,965 4,798 3,048 2,906 3,624 27,681 1999–2000 3,612 2,797 2,973 3,971 4,820 3,078 2,906 3,634 27,791 2000–01 3,698 2,806 2,959 3,984 4,856 3,112 2,905 3,618 27,938 Notes:
1. Registered GPs include General Medical Services unrestricted Principals, GMS restricted Principals. Personal Medical Services contracted GPs, and PMS salaried GPs
2. Data is as at 1 October for 1997 to 1999, and 30 September for 2000 to 2001
3. Data has been converted to match NHS regional structures for 2001
4. Source: Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics