Clause 23 - Dental Corporations
Health and Social Care Bill
3:30 pm
Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West, Conservative)
Were we still labouring under the ancien regime and had we decided, under the procedures that until 6 December governed these Committees, properly to scrutinise the Bill and subject clause 23 to a thorough examination, this would be a stretching process.
Yesterday, I sought a briefing from the British Dental Association, which replied to me in an e-mail message, saying that it
does not object to the amendment—
by which it means the clause—
to allow dental corporate bodies/companies to provide General Dental Services and to contract with Health Authorities for services. Some questions remain about the practical application of this, particularly in relation to discipline within the GDS Regulations, and these will be discussed with the Department of Health.
The Minister will no doubt look forward to those discussions, because they will be had with him, rather than in Committee. However, I have a couple of questions about the clause. Why is there no provision for ophthalmology or pharmacies similar to the arrangements that we are making for corporate bodies in respect of dentists?