Chamber
Plenary, 05 Sep 2002
05 Sep 2002 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
NHS Dental Services (Moray)
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. However, it seems that I keep having to return to the subject of dentistry, and I am glad to have the opportunity this evening to hear about people's difficulties.
I must start my speech by acknowledging that there have been difficulties. However, as members have pointed out, those difficulties have not arisen over the past year or two, but are the result of progressive problems in the profession. The Executive seeks to address those problems and to find answers that will ensure that my constituents and other members' constituents are able to access dental treatment.
In the primary care sector, where about 90 per cent of dental patients are treated, most general dental practitioners are independent contractors to the NHS who are free to choose whether to accept NHS patients. It is regrettable that in some parts of Scotland, including Grampian—Moray in particular—there has been a declining commitment to the NHS by some general dental practitioners.
Access is one of a number of problems that are being addressed by the implementation support group, which was set up to progress the action plan for dental services in Scotland to which Mary Scanlon referred. In order to achieve improvements in dental provision, we need the people to deliver them; indeed, we need the right number of people with the right skills in the right place.
In planning the dental work force, we have agreed a target output for the dental schools of 120 graduates per year and we have put the funding in place to reach that target. That is way ahead of our neighbours south of the border and we recognise that it is an important part of delivering the service.
I must start my speech by acknowledging that there have been difficulties. However, as members have pointed out, those difficulties have not arisen over the past year or two, but are the result of progressive problems in the profession. The Executive seeks to address those problems and to find answers that will ensure that my constituents and other members' constituents are able to access dental treatment.
In the primary care sector, where about 90 per cent of dental patients are treated, most general dental practitioners are independent contractors to the NHS who are free to choose whether to accept NHS patients. It is regrettable that in some parts of Scotland, including Grampian—Moray in particular—there has been a declining commitment to the NHS by some general dental practitioners.
Access is one of a number of problems that are being addressed by the implementation support group, which was set up to progress the action plan for dental services in Scotland to which Mary Scanlon referred. In order to achieve improvements in dental provision, we need the people to deliver them; indeed, we need the right number of people with the right skills in the right place.
In planning the dental work force, we have agreed a target output for the dental schools of 120 graduates per year and we have put the funding in place to reach that target. That is way ahead of our neighbours south of the border and we recognise that it is an important part of delivering the service.
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.