Chamber
Plenary, 05 Sep 2002
05 Sep 2002 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
NHS Dental Services (Moray)
I congratulate Margaret Ewing on securing this important debate. I welcome her back to the Parliament—she is back with a bang. SNP parliamentary group meetings over the past few months have not been the same without her.
The problem exists not only in Moray but across Grampian. I have with me a letter that is being sent to all the patients at Westhill dental practice this week by the eight dentists who work at the practice and who serve that large community, which is outside Aberdeen. The opening line of the letter, which indicates that the practice will no longer take NHS patients, says:
"We have continually strived to maintain and improve standards, but this has become increasingly more difficult under the National Health Service."
The situation pertains elsewhere in Grampian. New figures today show that, in Aberdeen, only three out of the 38 practices take NHS patients. That is a tiny percentage. Indeed, the dental health line that was set up in Grampian 18 months ago because of the number of people who were looking for NHS dentists receives—believe it or not—3,500 calls a month.
If someone has an examination at a dentist on the NHS, they have to pay £5.32, which is topped up by the NHS to £6.65. A scale and polish costs £13. A dentist sees around four patients an hour, which means that, if they all get an examination and a scale and polish, the dentist gets about £60 for that hour. Out of that money, the dentist has to pay for trained nurses, all of their equipment, control of cross-infection, a receptionist, rent for the premises and a living wage for themselves. That is the root of the problem. As Mike Rumbles said, we have to address that situation. If a dentist goes private, they can charge £25 for an examination alone, so the economics of the situation are evident.
Salaried dentists are a small step forward. The ones in Grampian have huge waiting lists and can make only a limited impact. There is a time-bomb element to the problem as well because, if someone has not been to the dentist for 18 months, their membership of that practice automatically lapses, which means that that practice will not readmit them to the NHS list. We need an education campaign to counter that.
Salaried posts are not the only issue, as the problem in Grampian also relates to a shortage of dentists. Today's figures show that 40 out of 190 posts in Grampian, including Moray, are vacant—that means that there is a 21 per cent shortage of dentists. Grampian cannot attract dentists because dentists see the area as "professionally isolated", to use the official phrase. In order to get adequate training in the area, we have to consider the consultants' position in hospitals, which is also under stress, and we have to establish a dental school in the area. Dundee dental school has five applications for every place, which demonstrates that there is a demand for places. We should create those places in Aberdeen.
The problem is a serious matter for Grampian and many issues relate to it. We seem to be putting obstacles in the way of people who are trying to lead a healthy lifestyle and we have to address that urgently.
The problem exists not only in Moray but across Grampian. I have with me a letter that is being sent to all the patients at Westhill dental practice this week by the eight dentists who work at the practice and who serve that large community, which is outside Aberdeen. The opening line of the letter, which indicates that the practice will no longer take NHS patients, says:
"We have continually strived to maintain and improve standards, but this has become increasingly more difficult under the National Health Service."
The situation pertains elsewhere in Grampian. New figures today show that, in Aberdeen, only three out of the 38 practices take NHS patients. That is a tiny percentage. Indeed, the dental health line that was set up in Grampian 18 months ago because of the number of people who were looking for NHS dentists receives—believe it or not—3,500 calls a month.
If someone has an examination at a dentist on the NHS, they have to pay £5.32, which is topped up by the NHS to £6.65. A scale and polish costs £13. A dentist sees around four patients an hour, which means that, if they all get an examination and a scale and polish, the dentist gets about £60 for that hour. Out of that money, the dentist has to pay for trained nurses, all of their equipment, control of cross-infection, a receptionist, rent for the premises and a living wage for themselves. That is the root of the problem. As Mike Rumbles said, we have to address that situation. If a dentist goes private, they can charge £25 for an examination alone, so the economics of the situation are evident.
Salaried dentists are a small step forward. The ones in Grampian have huge waiting lists and can make only a limited impact. There is a time-bomb element to the problem as well because, if someone has not been to the dentist for 18 months, their membership of that practice automatically lapses, which means that that practice will not readmit them to the NHS list. We need an education campaign to counter that.
Salaried posts are not the only issue, as the problem in Grampian also relates to a shortage of dentists. Today's figures show that 40 out of 190 posts in Grampian, including Moray, are vacant—that means that there is a 21 per cent shortage of dentists. Grampian cannot attract dentists because dentists see the area as "professionally isolated", to use the official phrase. In order to get adequate training in the area, we have to consider the consultants' position in hospitals, which is also under stress, and we have to establish a dental school in the area. Dundee dental school has five applications for every place, which demonstrates that there is a demand for places. We should create those places in Aberdeen.
The problem is a serious matter for Grampian and many issues relate to it. We seem to be putting obstacles in the way of people who are trying to lead a healthy lifestyle and we have to address that urgently.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
SNP
I ask members to move along and clear the chamber. I also remind those who wish to speak in the debate that they should press their request-to-speak buttons ...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises that the provision of NHS dental services in Moray has reached crisis point; finds it unacceptable that residents of Moray now...
Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
I thank everyone who signed the motion. I am glad to see such a huge interest in Moray. I particularly welcome Nora Radcliffe, because although Keith is not ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
I remind members that the debate is specific to Moray, so I will be listening for some geographic or service links to Moray in members' speeches.
Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD):
LD
Part of my constituency lies in Moray, but the problems of a lack of dental services, or a lack of access to dental services, are acute throughout the north-...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I, too, am delighted to see Margaret Ewing back. If I may say so, Margaret looks very well. It is nice to see her back in her stride, as feisty as usual, for...
Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
I, too, welcome Margaret Ewing back to the chamber. I am pleased that she had the first question of question time and opened today's members' business debate...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
As of now I would be grateful if the speeches were kept to under three minutes.
Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP):
SNP
I say very well done to Margaret Ewing for securing a debate on this important topic. It is good to be able to add my welcome back to her. It is also good to...
Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD):
LD
I congratulate Margaret Ewing on keeping the subject of access to NHS dental care on the agenda.We have heard a lot of statistics and I want to throw in a fe...
Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate my colleague Margaret Ewing on her initiative in leading this important debate. I hope that the minister will address the problems in Moray as...
Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Margaret Ewing on securing this important debate. I welcome her back to the Parliament—she is back with a bang. SNP parliamentary group meetin...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP):
SNP
In an entirely impartial and unbiased way, I warmly congratulate Margaret Ewing on her excellent exposition of the topic. I will address some of the deeper i...
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care (Mrs Mary Mulligan):
Lab
I, too, join members in welcoming Margaret Ewing back to the chamber. It is great to see her and I look forward to debating many other issues with her. Howev...
Mr Rumbles:
LD
Two years ago, in the initial debate on the matter, I said that the target of 120 dentists in the dental action plan was not a great one to achieve. In fact,...
Mrs Mulligan:
Lab
One hundred and twenty dentists is an achievable target. Instead of simply increasing that number, we need to find out how to retain those people in Scotland...
Maureen Macmillan:
Lab
Will the minister consider giving more support to training practices in the Highlands? More training practices being in receipt of support would attract new ...
Mrs Mulligan:
Lab
I will come back to that point in a moment.We are also able to offer postgraduate vocational training places for all Scottish graduate dentists. Moreover, to...
Mary Scanlon:
Con
Does the minister acknowledge that Mike Rumbles's suggestion that there should be a new dental school in Aberdeen would be extremely difficult to implement, ...
Mrs Mulligan:
Lab
As I said, we must consider what we have at the moment and decide how we can use it in the best possible way. By ensuring that students leave the dental hosp...
Meeting closed at 17:56.