§ Mr. RuffleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices are taking on new NHS patients in(a) the constituency of Bury St. Edmunds, (b) Suffolk, (c) Norfolk, (d) Essex, (e) Cambridgeshire and (f) England. [104808]
§ Mr. LammyThe number of general dental service practices recorded on the www.nhs.uk website as taking on new national health service patients in the constituency of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire and England at 24 March 2003 is shown in the table.
General Dental Service: Number of dental practices taking new NHS patients at 24 March 2003 Practices accepting: Charge exempt adults Charge paying adults Children England 3,991 3,639 5,027 Bury St. Edmunds Constituency 4 4 4 Suffolk 35 35 37 Norfolk 54 48 69 Essex 219 217 260 Cambridgeshire 32 31 62 Source:
www.nhs.uk website
Patients seeking to register with a dentist can access information on the dental practices taking on new patients by contacting NHS Direct, their local primary care trust or by accessing the www.nhs.uk website.