Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the 4% increase in NHS dental charges on access to dental care for low-income (a) people and (b) families.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
National Health Service dental charges provide an important contribution to pressurised NHS budgets. It is particularly important to maintain this contribution at sustainable levels, whilst we work to improve NHS dentistry. In setting the charges, we strive to strike a balance between the contribution the charges represent to the overall NHS budget, and the cost to charge-paying patients, recognising the primary policy objectives of improving oral health and guarding against creating financial barriers in accessing NHS dentistry.
We consider that the latest 4% uplift is proportionate, as it remains below the Consumer Prices Index, and represents a £1 increase to a Band 1 course of treatment. To ensure everyone has access to dentistry when needed, there are a range of exemptions to NHS dental patient charges for those who need the most financial support.
The Department has produced an Impact Assessment with respect to the 4% uplift of NHS dental charges for patients in England from April 2024, which is available from the following link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2024/48/pdfs/ukia_20240048_en.pdf
In line with our Public Sector Equality duty, the Department has also considered the impact of the change on equality, and on those from disadvantaged groups.
Apr. 23 2024
Source Page: Intergovernmental Relations Annual Report 2023Found: restrictions in relation to China; the Minimum Service Levels Bill; public health collaboration; and NHS dental
Apr. 23 2024
Source Page: National Islands Plan Review: Consultation AnalysisFound: , environmental protection, and ferry services.
Apr. 23 2024
Source Page: I. Universal Credit guidance April 2024 [update of previous guidance, deposited Oct 2023, DEP2023-0791]. 204 docs. II. Letter dated 15/04/2023 from Jo Churchill MP to to the Deposited Papers Clerk regarding documents for deposit in the House libraries. Incl. file list at Annex 1. 9p.Found: Universal Credit may be entitled to includes : • help with health costs including prescriptions and dental
Asked by: Harper, Emma (Scottish National Party - South Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported announcement from DADDS dental practice in Dumfries that it is to close, which will reportedly lead to the deregistration of 4,000 NHS patients, whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to support access to dental care for people residing within the Dumfries and Galloway Council area.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
We introduced major NHS dental payment reform on 1 November 2023 which includes a new fee structure designed to make it more attractive for dentists to provide NHS services, and this has generally been well received by the sector.
I acknowledge that access remains challenging in certain areas, including Dumfries and Galloway - which is why we have made tailored funding available, including grants of up to £100,000 for opening a new or extending an existing practice in the area, as well as ‘golden hello’ payments of up to £37,500 for new trainee dentists practising in the area.
Scottish Government continues to work closely with NHS Boards, including NHS Dumfries and Galloway, to ensure they have the necessary support to offer continuity of NHS care to patients.
Mentions:
1: Andrea Leadsom (Con - South Northamptonshire) We are now trying to work with dentists to look at reform of the units of dental activity contract, but - Speech Link
2: Victoria Atkins (Con - Louth and Horncastle) That is because we are focused on delivering the dental recovery plan, rather than overpromising.The - Speech Link
3: Richard Burgon (Lab - Leeds East) Its three demands are: to provide access to an NHS dentist for everyone; to restore funding for dental - Speech Link
4: Victoria Atkins (Con - Louth and Horncastle) We switched on our fully funded dental recovery plan, in case the hon. - Speech Link
Apr. 22 2024
Source Page: The Universal Credit (Administrative Earnings Threshold) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI 2024/****)Found: For both free prescriptions and free dental treatment the current threshold is take home pay of £435
Apr. 22 2024
Source Page: The Universal Credit (Administrative Earnings Threshold) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI 2024/****)Found: For both free prescriptions and free dental treatment the current threshold is take home pay of £435
Mentions:
1: Chris Stephens (SNP - Glasgow South West) the Department for Work and Pensions increased from 8% of those surveyed by the Public and Commercial Services - Speech Link
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the new minimum rate for units of dental activity on NHS dentists.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Dentistry Recovery Plan will make dental services faster, simpler and fairer for patients and will fund around 2.5 million additional appointments, or more than 1.5 million additional courses of dental treatment. We will further support dentists by raising the minimum Units of Dental Activity (UDA) rate to £28 this year, making National Health Service work more attractive and sustainable. This has meant that almost 1,000 contracts will see an uplift to their UDA rate this year, supporting them and making treatment of NHS patients more sustainable.
We have also developed guidance to support local commissioning by ICBs, including how they can consider addressing UDA rates locally to support better delivery of dental care for patients. I will report to the House on impact shortly.