Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

NHS Dental Contract

Tuesday 6 December 2022 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Progress on negotiating a new NHS dental contract includes initial changes made in July to support NHS dentistry, an additional 50 million investment, and reforms to create more UDA bands.
  • The Minister acknowledged the need for funding subsidies in underprivileged areas like Blackpool to attract new dentists and improve access to dental care.
  • The Government is increasing dental school places from 810 to 970 in 2021 to build long-term capacity in NHS dentistry.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Scott Benton
NHS
Context

The MP is concerned about the progress in negotiating a new NHS dental contract to improve access and quality of care.

Question

What progress has been made on negotiating a new NHS dental contract? The number of dentists doing NHS work last year increased by 2.3%, but more needs to be done to address the issue.

Answer from Neil O'Brien

In July, we made some initial changes to the reformed system to support NHS dentistry. We have invested an extra £50 million, reformed the contract to create more UDA bands to better reflect fair costs of work, and introduced a minimum UDA to help practices with low levels.

Answered
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Q2 Scott Benton
NHS
Context

The MP is concerned about the estimated 25,000 constituents who do not have an NHS dentist and seeks a more comprehensive solution.

Question

Will the Minister consider funding subsidies to underprivileged areas such as Blackpool to attract new dentists? The changes made last week were steps in the right direction but are insufficient. Constituents lack access to dental care.

Answer from Neil O'Brien

Absolutely; my hon. Friend and I have talked about this. We are looking urgently at payment models and measures to address struggling areas. Commissioning of dentistry will come down to a more accountable local level in April, and we need to build on that.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific funding subsidies to underprivileged areas were not addressed.

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Q3 Mary Foy Lab City of Durham
NHS
Context

The MP's constituents report issues such as DIY dentistry, missing teeth, and children in pain due to lack of access. The British Dental Association believes current plans are insufficient.

Question

When will the Government put in adequate funding and reform so that people in Durham can get dental care they need? The new NHS plans do not go far enough to halt decay in provision.

Answer from Neil O'Brien

We are increasing the number of dentists doing NHS work and the amount of work being done. We are taking steps for longer-term building of NHS dentistry, with an increase from 810 to 970 dental school places in 2021. Secondary legislation was laid on 11 October to allow more flexibility for foreign dentists to practise.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific funding and reform timelines were not addressed.

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