NHS: Public Information and Advice

Baroness Gardner of Parkes Excerpts

Tuesday 12th June 2012 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I share the noble Baroness’s concern. She has highlighted a major area on which Public Health England and local authorities will wish to focus going forward. This is the great advantage of the architecture that we have put in place, with health and well-being boards responsible for determining local needs and the way in which to address them. Public health awareness campaigns have their place but they are not the total answer. The noble Baroness has drawn attention to the importance of having sufficient treatment facilities, and access to them, available. So, with the support of Public Health England at a national level, local authorities should be addressing sexual health as one of their key areas.

[Baroness Gardner of Parkes]

My Lords, as the Minister has said, the situation is constantly being evaluated. Has he looked into the recent problems of patients who cannot see displayed the costs for National Health Service dentistry procedures? Would it not be a good idea to set up an online application so that patients can see the information for themselves, with a simple form to fill in that lets them know what they should be paying before they go? That would remove all the arguments about whether or not there is a notice in the waiting room.

[Earl Howe]

My noble friend is right. Many dentists are good at conforming to the terms of their contract, which means making it clear to patients what it will cost them to have a particular course of NHS treatment. Other dentists, I am afraid to say, are less scrupulous. It is part of the contractual arrangement that dentists should be open on that score and it is an area to which we are currently devoting a good deal of attention.