Chamber
Plenary, 05 Sep 2002
05 Sep 2002 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
NHS Dental Services (Moray)
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 enhance the dental team, we have put funding in place to increase significantly the numbers of trained professionals complementary to dentistry.
As well as getting the numbers right, we regard the quality of training as being vital. Although dentists can register to practise on graduation, the NHS insists on one year's postgraduate training. In Scotland, we have successfully piloted two-year general professional training and we aim to increase the provision for all graduates of Scottish dental schools.
Planning the dental work force is also about having people and their skills in the right place. We need to make sure that dentists will choose to live and work in all parts of Scotland.
One of the issues that has been raised is that of fees being paid. Fees are set annually by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration—which is independent of the Government—following representations by the professions, and particularly by the British Dental Association and by health boards. In Scotland, we have accepted those recommendations in full and we have also provided additional allowances for rural and remote areas.
On 25 April, a £1 million package of measures to improve recruitment and retention of NHS dentists and to ensure that patients are able to access NHS dental treatment was introduced. That package includes funding for vocational training places for all new dental graduates and a £3,000 allowance to each new dental graduate who takes a training place in any of eight designated areas—including Grampian—where access to NHS dentistry is outstripped by patient demand. It also includes a £5,000 allowance over two years to dentists who have completed training and are entering substantive NHS practice, or £10,000 over the same period where the post will be in one of the designated areas. That will enable the development and funding of an education and support programme for all new dentists who have completed training, and will provide grants of up to £10,000—based on the amount of NHS work—to dentists establishing new vocational training practices and offering a training place. We want to ensure that training places are available in order to ensure that people stay in Scotland.
We are also currently in discussion with the dental profession about further measures to encourage recruitment and retention, focusing on the older dentists and returners to NHS general dental services. Margaret Ewing mentioned the fact that many dentists are in the older age bracket. We recognise that and are discussing with the British Dental Association in Scotland how we can assist those dentists to remain in the profession and ensure that they get a living wage for what they are doing.
From 1 April, we also introduced a new career structure for salaried dentists employed in NHS general dental services, with salary scales for two new grades of promoted posts. That will enhance recruitment and retention by providing new opportunities for advancement and will enable the provision of a wider range of treatments through the salaried service. We are currently discussing the details with the profession.
We recognise that many dentists prefer to be close to the area where they did their undergraduate training. I do not accept that that necessarily means that we must have a dental school in Aberdeen, but it does mean that the local trusts in Grampian, with support from the NHS board and the Executive, must make particular efforts to recruit and retain staff. To that end, we have encouraged both dental schools in Scotland to develop outreach training that will give undergraduates experience in rural areas and in hospitals away from the dental schools, for example in Aberdeen. That will build up a relationship and attract dentists to the areas where we know we have difficulties.
We already have in place a number of measures to encourage dentists to further their contribution to the NHS and to locate in areas where NHS services are underprovided. Those measures include the availability of grants under the Scottish dental access initiative and the provision of salaried dentists. I can tell Andrew Welsh that we deal as quickly as possible with requests for salaried positions. There have been no delays and there is no question of delays. I am also aware that, this year, we have agreed to 14 additional places. I do not know the total number, but I will get that information for Mr Welsh.
We are also able to offer postgraduate vocational training places for all Scottish graduate dentists. Moreover, to enhance the dental team, we have put funding in place to increase significantly the numbers of trained professionals complementary to dentistry.
As well as getting the numbers right, we regard the quality of training as being vital. Although dentists can register to practise on graduation, the NHS insists on one year's postgraduate training. In Scotland, we have successfully piloted two-year general professional training and we aim to increase the provision for all graduates of Scottish dental schools.
Planning the dental work force is also about having people and their skills in the right place. We need to make sure that dentists will choose to live and work in all parts of Scotland.
One of the issues that has been raised is that of fees being paid. Fees are set annually by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration—which is independent of the Government—following representations by the professions, and particularly by the British Dental Association and by health boards. In Scotland, we have accepted those recommendations in full and we have also provided additional allowances for rural and remote areas.
On 25 April, a £1 million package of measures to improve recruitment and retention of NHS dentists and to ensure that patients are able to access NHS dental treatment was introduced. That package includes funding for vocational training places for all new dental graduates and a £3,000 allowance to each new dental graduate who takes a training place in any of eight designated areas—including Grampian—where access to NHS dentistry is outstripped by patient demand. It also includes a £5,000 allowance over two years to dentists who have completed training and are entering substantive NHS practice, or £10,000 over the same period where the post will be in one of the designated areas. That will enable the development and funding of an education and support programme for all new dentists who have completed training, and will provide grants of up to £10,000—based on the amount of NHS work—to dentists establishing new vocational training practices and offering a training place. We want to ensure that training places are available in order to ensure that people stay in Scotland.
We are also currently in discussion with the dental profession about further measures to encourage recruitment and retention, focusing on the older dentists and returners to NHS general dental services. Margaret Ewing mentioned the fact that many dentists are in the older age bracket. We recognise that and are discussing with the British Dental Association in Scotland how we can assist those dentists to remain in the profession and ensure that they get a living wage for what they are doing.
From 1 April, we also introduced a new career structure for salaried dentists employed in NHS general dental services, with salary scales for two new grades of promoted posts. That will enhance recruitment and retention by providing new opportunities for advancement and will enable the provision of a wider range of treatments through the salaried service. We are currently discussing the details with the profession.
We recognise that many dentists prefer to be close to the area where they did their undergraduate training. I do not accept that that necessarily means that we must have a dental school in Aberdeen, but it does mean that the local trusts in Grampian, with support from the NHS board and the Executive, must make particular efforts to recruit and retain staff. To that end, we have encouraged both dental schools in Scotland to develop outreach training that will give undergraduates experience in rural areas and in hospitals away from the dental schools, for example in Aberdeen. That will build up a relationship and attract dentists to the areas where we know we have difficulties.
We already have in place a number of measures to encourage dentists to further their contribution to the NHS and to locate in areas where NHS services are underprovided. Those measures include the availability of grants under the Scottish dental access initiative and the provision of salaried dentists. I can tell Andrew Welsh that we deal as quickly as possible with requests for salaried positions. There have been no delays and there is no question of delays. I am also aware that, this year, we have agreed to 14 additional places. I do not know the total number, but I will get that information for Mr Welsh.
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.