Chamber
Plenary, 21 Apr 2005
21 Apr 2005 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Dental Health Services
I pay tribute to those who worked on the report and to the committee clerks for their input. The report is an excellent piece of research, which has informed the committee's thinking and provided important statistical evidence on the challenges that we face in tackling the crisis in NHS dentistry.
The report found that 42 per cent of primary care dentists who currently treat children are not accepting new child patients or are using a waiting list. A quarter admit to scaling down their NHS commitment and only 3.5 per cent of primary care dentists say that they intend to increase the amount of time that they spend treating NHS patients over the next two years. If one statistic in the report should make us sit up and take notice, it is that one, because it shows what the future holds unless the situation is turned around.
As Roseanna Cunningham said, the report concluded that the Executive's flagship pledge to give free dental checks to everyone by 2007 will be difficult to meet without a significant increase in the number of NHS dentists. The report also made it clear that the minister's plans to use incentives to lure retired dentists back to work in the NHS were unlikely to be successful. It stated:
"A significant increase in NHSScotland provision required to meet pledges to improve access to dental services is unlikely to be achieved with the type of incentives currently available".
That is a very strong message to the minister.
Since the report was published and since the Scottish National Party held a debate in the Parliament on NHS dentistry, we have had the long-awaited response from the Executive to the consultation, much of which was to be welcomed. The investment promise for NHS dentistry was certainly welcome, because one of the key problems has been the chronic underinvestment in NHS dental services over the years, including the years of this Executive. Nevertheless, the investment that has been announced is welcome and I hope that it will deliver improvements in the areas in which we need to see improvement.
The crucial question is whether the negotiations with the dental profession will result in agreement being reached to recruit people to, and retain them in, NHS dentistry. The negotiations on the fee level are particularly important, because the issue comes down to a basic economic argument that, unless NHS dentistry becomes more attractive and rewarding, more and more dentists will leave the NHS to go to the private sector where they can do less for more money. The intemperate language that was used by the minister in attacking the dentist in Stranraer who has left NHS dentistry is not at all helpful. We need to persuade dentists to remain within the NHS. Persuasion is the way forward, rather than launching an attack on an individual dentist.
The report found that 42 per cent of primary care dentists who currently treat children are not accepting new child patients or are using a waiting list. A quarter admit to scaling down their NHS commitment and only 3.5 per cent of primary care dentists say that they intend to increase the amount of time that they spend treating NHS patients over the next two years. If one statistic in the report should make us sit up and take notice, it is that one, because it shows what the future holds unless the situation is turned around.
As Roseanna Cunningham said, the report concluded that the Executive's flagship pledge to give free dental checks to everyone by 2007 will be difficult to meet without a significant increase in the number of NHS dentists. The report also made it clear that the minister's plans to use incentives to lure retired dentists back to work in the NHS were unlikely to be successful. It stated:
"A significant increase in NHSScotland provision required to meet pledges to improve access to dental services is unlikely to be achieved with the type of incentives currently available".
That is a very strong message to the minister.
Since the report was published and since the Scottish National Party held a debate in the Parliament on NHS dentistry, we have had the long-awaited response from the Executive to the consultation, much of which was to be welcomed. The investment promise for NHS dentistry was certainly welcome, because one of the key problems has been the chronic underinvestment in NHS dental services over the years, including the years of this Executive. Nevertheless, the investment that has been announced is welcome and I hope that it will deliver improvements in the areas in which we need to see improvement.
The crucial question is whether the negotiations with the dental profession will result in agreement being reached to recruit people to, and retain them in, NHS dentistry. The negotiations on the fee level are particularly important, because the issue comes down to a basic economic argument that, unless NHS dentistry becomes more attractive and rewarding, more and more dentists will leave the NHS to go to the private sector where they can do less for more money. The intemperate language that was used by the minister in attacking the dentist in Stranraer who has left NHS dentistry is not at all helpful. We need to persuade dentists to remain within the NHS. Persuasion is the way forward, rather than launching an attack on an individual dentist.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-2708, in the name of Roseanna Cunningham, on behalf of the Health Committee, on access to dental health s...
Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP):
SNP
Members of the Health Committee, like members throughout the chamber, have been concerned by the extent of the anecdotal evidence of a perceived decline in a...
Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD):
LD
Roseanna Cunningham will remember that those statistics relate to health board areas and that in committee I made the point that, on a local authority basis,...
Roseanna Cunningham:
SNP
Yes. There is an issue with how the figures operate, because they relate to health board areas, not local authority areas or, indeed, constituency areas.Ther...
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care (Rhona Brankin):
Lab
We all agree that Scotland has a continuing need to improve oral health, especially among children and in deprived communities. Indeed, in deprived areas of ...
Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con):
Con
In countries such as Denmark and Sweden, specialised dental health educators supervise children's toothbrushing sessions. Will the minister expand on the pla...
Rhona Brankin:
Lab
That is a good point. At the moment, there is a variety of ways of supervising toothbrushing. In some schools, dental hygienists supervise it, but we are con...
Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
The minister was due to visit that dentist but she cancelled the visit. Would it not be appropriate for her to go ahead with it, if necessary to talk to the ...
Rhona Brankin:
Lab
I will be absolutely frank with the member. I thought that it was important, on my visit to Dumfries and Galloway, to meet dentists who are committed to the ...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
How can the Executive ensure that the £150 million of resources that have been allocated will meet the priorities, given the distinct lack of information tha...
Rhona Brankin:
Lab
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 ar...
Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP):
SNP
I pay tribute to those who worked on the report and to the committee clerks for their input. The report is an excellent piece of research, which has informed...
Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab):
Lab
Does the member approve of the actions of the dentist in Stranraer last weekend? Does she approve of the ultimatum that he gave to loyal patients, who had to...
Shona Robison:
SNP
That is not the point. If we are to persuade dentists to stay in the NHS and persuade dentists who have left the NHS to come back, it is not helpful to casti...
Rhona Brankin:
Lab
The minister has announced £150 million of additional funding, which is the biggest-ever investment in NHS dentistry. Within a few weeks of that announcement...
Shona Robison:
SNP
The minister misses the point. The individual dentist is not the issue. The issue is those who have gone before and those who may come after and make the dec...
Alex Fergusson:
Con
I agree with Shona Robison's comment about the language that has been used. I will address that in my speech. Does she agree that the endless stream of denti...
Shona Robison:
SNP
The two go together. Those dentists do not have quality time with their patients and they are run off their feet. If dentists can do less work for more money...
Rhona Brankin:
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Shona Robison:
SNP
No. I am running out of time.The SNP believes that more needs to be done to expand the workforce and therefore supports the development of a third full denta...
Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
I joined the Health Committee as the report was being published. I commend the committee for commissioning the report, which gives a clear snapshot of curren...
Rhona Brankin:
Lab
What is the Conservative party's policy on private dentistry?
Mrs Milne:
Con
Dentists are contracted to the health service. It is up to them whether to work for the NHS or opt to go private—that has been a long-standing situation. If ...
Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD):
LD
This is a welcome debate on the problems that NHS dentistry in Scotland faces. The failure over many years to ensure that everyone in Scotland—regardless of ...
Mary Scanlon:
Con
Will the minister give way?
Mike Rumbles:
LD
I am not a minister, but I will certainly give way.
Mary Scanlon:
Con
Mike Rumbles mentioned the Edinburgh dental school. Does he acknowledge that the Conservatives recommended the postgraduate dental institute in Edinburgh, wh...
Mike Rumbles:
LD
It would be wiser for the Conservatives not to push the issue, because they have done a lot of damage. They set in train the damage to the NHS dental service...
Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I am interested in Liberal Democrat support for what we might term golden handcuffs for dentists who are going into training and education. Does Mr Rumbles h...
Mike Rumbles:
LD
It is not appropriate to refer to golden handcuffs. However, I am certainly in favour of this concept for dentists and I think that it could be expanded for ...