Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the status of the NHS Business Services Authority as an arm’s-length body of the Ministry means in respect of (a) ministerial accountability, (b) operational independence and (c) financial oversight.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is responsible for the administration of dental penalty charge notices (PCNs) in accordance with statutory regulations and national exemption policy. Patients have the opportunity to challenge PCNs if they were entitled to claim free prescriptions or dental care or if think they have an exceptional reason not to pay. Where a PCN is challenged, NHSBSA undertakes evidence-based case reviews and will remove the PCN where appropriate.

No recent assessment has been made of the practice of historic National Health Service dental PCNs or the processes for challenging them.

With respect to the ministerial accountability, operational independence, and financial oversight of NHSBSA, I refer the Hon Member to the published framework agreement between NHSBSA and the Department, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-and-nhsbsa-framework-agreement/framework-agreement-between-the-department-of-health-and-social-care-and-nhs-business-services-authority