Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that dentists and dental staff are included in the antibody testing programme for NHS staff and providers.

On 21 May the Government announced plans for a national roll-out of antibody testing in the National Health Service and care sector. Since the end of May, lab-based antibody tests have been available to all NHS staff that want one, with patients and care residents eligible at their clinician’s request. Since the end of May, over 1.36 million (27 July) COVID-19 antibody tests have been carried out.

The NHS staff include those working on NHS premises but not directly employed by the NHS, those working for the NHS but not on NHS premises, and those in primary, community, and mental health care including community pharmacists. This will include dentists and dental staff.