Dentistry (Hansard, 2 February 2004)

§ Dr. Murrison
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Dental Manpower Review will be published. [147514]

§ Ms Rosie Winterton
[holding answer 13 January 2004]We have now completed the first review of the dental workforce since 1987 and plan shortly to publish the report with the Government's response to its findings.

§ Dr. Murrison
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the progress primary care trusts have made towards assuming responsibility for NHS dentistry in April 2005 [147503]

§ Ms Rosie Winterton
Responsibility for administration of the general dental services arrangements passed from health authorities to primary care trusts (PCTs) in October 2002. The National Primary and Care Trust Development Programme (NatPaCT) published a dentistry competency framework to support PCTs during the transition.
Proposals in the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 for primary dental services will underpin a modernised, high-quality primary dental service provided through contracts between PCTs and dental practices, properly integrated with the rest of the national health service and providing better access to services with an improved patient experience. The NatPaCT programme will continue to support PCTs through to implementation in April 2005.
The Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act also provides for the replacement of the existing Dental Practice Board by a new special health authority for England and Wales with a wider remit for modernisation and change. This will happen in 2005. In the meantime, shadow arrangements are in place to work in partnership with the existing Dental Practice Board to lead the modernisation process and provide support to PCTs and dentists to ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangements.

§ Mr. Burstow
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department(a) commissioned and (b) received the Dental Workforce Review; and when he will publish the review report. [150809]

§ Ms Rosie Winterton
[holding answer 26 January 2004]We commissioned the first Dental Workforce Review since 1987 in July 2001. It was completed last autumn and we plan shortly to publish the report with our response to its findings.