Hansard

There is no doubt that we need to get better at acquiring information, but we have enough information at the moment to be able to plan with NHS boards. We are only too aware of the shortfalls that exist in areas such as the Highlands, which the member represents. During my visit to Inverness, I learned at first hand about the plans for an outreach training centre to ensure that young dentists can train in the Highlands and, we hope, choose to work there in the longer term. We have information at the moment, but we need to get better, smarter and more detailed information.

In recent weeks, I have made a series of visits around Scotland to hear at first hand how NHS boards intend to improve dental services in their areas and how they will play their part in dental outreach training in Scotland. The dental outreach programme will be hugely important for Scotland's more rural areas. It will allow dental students and students in professions complementary to dentistry to gain first-hand experience of working in rural communities. It will create opportunities for an enriched working experience both for the dental professionals involved and for the students. NHS Grampian is on course to meet our partnership commitment of establishing a dental outreach training centre in Aberdeen during 2006. It is also working actively on recruiting more dentists to improve access.

In the past year, NHS Highland has been successful in recruiting 16 NHS dentists and is developing outreach in Inverness. Moreover, NHS Dumfries and Galloway is currently putting together a business case for the establishment of a multisurgery dental centre in Dumfries. The dentists whom I met in Dumfries the other day told me that, within the next couple of years, the multisurgery dental centre will be able to have 13,000 patients on its books. In the longer term, that figure could be doubled, but talks are continuing. Those are only a few practical examples that demonstrate the importance of having local commitment to NHS dental services that is backed up by national support.

The Executive acknowledges the report's findings on variations in registration rates and the problems of access to NHS dental services in parts of Scotland, particularly in rural areas. To provide support for dentists in rural areas, we have increased the annual remote areas allowance from £6,000 to £9,000 as of 1 April this year.

We acknowledge that workforce planning is vital to the successful delivery of dental services in Scotland. We have put in place arrangements for such planning at national, regional and local level. It is intended that the national workforce plan 2005, which should be published in June, will be followed by plans for all NHS boards and for the three regions.

Although the number of dentists in Scotland has increased by 70 per cent since 1975, we estimate that we have a shortfall of around 200 dentists. In part, that is a result of the Conservative Government's decision to close the Edinburgh dental school in 1996. A number of measures that are unique to Scotland have already been introduced to improve the recruitment and retention of dentists in the short to medium term. Those measures are starting to pay dividends, as an extra 50 dentists have already been recruited.

Although professions complementary to dentistry are not dealt with specifically in the report, they are mentioned as an important element in workforce planning. We believe that a comprehensive approach to dental services that maximises the contribution of all members of the dental team is vital to improve access to services. Given the report's suggestion that the employment of dental therapists can improve dentists' output or productivity by 45 per cent, the contribution of such professions is hugely important.

The need for local flexibility is recommended by the report to allow problems of access to be addressed at local level. From 1 April, NHS boards have had authority to appoint salaried general dental practitioners directly. That should provide the additional flexibilities that the report suggests.

I am aware that, as Roseanna Cunningham mentioned, the report expresses concern that we will find it difficult to fulfil our pledge to provide free dental check-ups for all by 2007 without a significant increase in the number of dentists who provide NHS services. There is no doubt that the target is challenging, but I am convinced that the measures that I have outlined will mean that we can recruit and retain enough NHS dentists to meet the pledge.

The additional £150 million that I have announced means that, by 2007-08, we will spend some £350 million on dental services in comparison with the £200 million that we currently spend. That represents an increase of 75 per cent. Over the three years, that funding will build up from the current base to £245 million, £300 million then £350 million. Cumulatively, that amounts to nearly £300 million extra. That record investment is backed up with a comprehensive action plan that will take forward the work on improving oral health and dental services.

I have also announced further measures to support NHS dental services. From April, we have doubled the general dental practice allowance, which supports practice costs. This year, we are providing £5 million of practice improvement funding. In addition, we will provide recurring financial support for existing dental premises and for information technology.

To sum up, we do not underestimate the challenge in securing better access for patients to NHS dental services. However, the measures in our action plan represent the most substantial programme of work ever undertaken to address our poor oral health record. I welcome today's debate and look forward to working with the Health Committee on this important issue.