Chamber
Plenary, 30 Nov 2000
30 Nov 2000 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Dental Services (Grampian)
I would like to thank Mike Rumbles for giving us the chance to highlight the continuing problems in Grampian. His outline of the situation and his proposals are excellent.
I welcome the Executive's action plan strategy, but it is a simple fact that dentists are not being recruited into our region. Alford, my local village, lost its dentist and many of my neighbours have to drive to Aberdeen or even Banchory for treatment. As Mike Rumbles said, people sometimes have to travel up to 60 miles.
I could extol Aberdeenshire and its virtues all night, explaining why people should come and live there, but people are not coming. Young people are not leaving schools in Glasgow and Dundee to take up positions in the north. I urge the Executive to consider one of Mike Rumbles's proposals and to extend advanced training from Dundee into Aberdeen. In that way, dentists would at least start off in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. They might then decide that it is such a nice place to live that they stay. I also urge the minister to extend the loyalty bonus scheme that is paid to dentists to encourage them to stay with NHS patients.
The problem with the shortage of general dental practitioners is that it puts more pressure on community dentists in Aberdeenshire. They play a vital role with special needs and disadvantaged patients. The pressure on dentists is such that those patients, who need treatment, are being left out.
Dentistry problems in Aberdeenshire and the north-east as a whole are a special case. I know that, across Scotland, consultants in many fields are in short supply, but I urge the minister to consider some of Mike Rumbles's measures and to make a special effort to ensure that my constituents are not seriously disadvantaged when it comes to dental health.
I welcome the Executive's action plan strategy, but it is a simple fact that dentists are not being recruited into our region. Alford, my local village, lost its dentist and many of my neighbours have to drive to Aberdeen or even Banchory for treatment. As Mike Rumbles said, people sometimes have to travel up to 60 miles.
I could extol Aberdeenshire and its virtues all night, explaining why people should come and live there, but people are not coming. Young people are not leaving schools in Glasgow and Dundee to take up positions in the north. I urge the Executive to consider one of Mike Rumbles's proposals and to extend advanced training from Dundee into Aberdeen. In that way, dentists would at least start off in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. They might then decide that it is such a nice place to live that they stay. I also urge the minister to extend the loyalty bonus scheme that is paid to dentists to encourage them to stay with NHS patients.
The problem with the shortage of general dental practitioners is that it puts more pressure on community dentists in Aberdeenshire. They play a vital role with special needs and disadvantaged patients. The pressure on dentists is such that those patients, who need treatment, are being left out.
Dentistry problems in Aberdeenshire and the north-east as a whole are a special case. I know that, across Scotland, consultants in many fields are in short supply, but I urge the minister to consider some of Mike Rumbles's measures and to make a special effort to ensure that my constituents are not seriously disadvantaged when it comes to dental health.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
We now come to the members' business debate on motion S1M-1347, in the name of Mike Rumbles, on access to national health service dental services in Grampian...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises that improving access to NHS dental services is a public health priority, welcomes the publication by the Scottish Executive o...
Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD):
LD
I am pleased to open this evening's debate, which is designed to highlight the problems of accessing NHS dental treatment, particularly in the Grampian area....
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
SNP
Six members have asked to speak, so speeches should be around three minutes, please.
Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the opportunity to debate this matter and the constructive approach of Mike Rumbles's motion. He is primarily concerned with access to dentistry in...
Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Mike Rumbles on securing this evening's debate and on sporting a Highland outfit. I think it is fair to say that the subject of the debate was...
Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con):
Con
I would like to thank Mike Rumbles for giving us the chance to highlight the continuing problems in Grampian. His outline of the situation and his proposals ...
Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD):
LD
I would like to thank Mike Rumbles for this members' debate, which allows us to put on record our concerns about the provision of dental services in the nort...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Mike Rumbles on securing today's debate and thank him for giving us an opportunity to discuss dentistry. I would also like to take the opportu...
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care (Malcolm Chisholm):
Lab
I congratulate Mike Rumbles on securing this debate, and I am grateful to all members who have contributed to it.During the debate on primary care dental ser...
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
I welcome the minister's comments on the need for more consultants which has been recognised in Grampian. Does the minister also accept that for every new co...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
The discussion paper to which I referred earlier proposed significant increases in the number of professionals who are complementary to dentistry to enhance ...
Ben Wallace:
Con
Will the minister take on board the fact that members of Grampian Health Board have almost stopped advertising? Having spent so much money on trying to recru...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
I hear what Ben Wallace is saying. I am told that an advertising campaign is going on and that, in January 2001, adverts will be placed, but I will check on ...
Meeting closed at 17:43.