Dental Services (Inverness)

Question Time — Scottish Executive — Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:30 pm on 13 November 2003.

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Photo of John Farquhar Munro John Farquhar Munro Liberal Democrat 2:30, 13 November 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase national health service dental provision in Inverness. (S2O-748)

Photo of Tom McCabe Tom McCabe Labour

Responsibility for the overall provision of NHS dental services in Inverness rests with Highland Primary Care NHS Trust. However, the Executive is aware that there are problems with access to NHS dental services in some parts of Scotland, including Inverness. For that reason, Highland is one of the designated areas of Scotland that benefits from enhanced incentives in the recruitment and retention package that was introduced by the Executive.

Photo of John Farquhar Munro John Farquhar Munro Liberal Democrat

In view of that welcome and encouraging response, I ask the minister what steps have been taken to extend NHS dentistry provision to other areas of Scotland.

Photo of Tom McCabe Tom McCabe Labour

As I have said to Parliament, we are urgently examining provision of NHS dentistry. I can confirm that we will make a statement on the subject in the chamber next week.

Photo of Alasdair Morrison Alasdair Morrison Labour

We all fully appreciate that the Scottish Executive has introduced new incentives to NHS practices, as the minister has outlined. Unfortunately, those have not eased the recruitment problems for the only dental practice in Lewis and Harris. The dentist there—Ken Macdonald—has given over 20 years of excellent service to thousands of my constituents, but he continues to experience difficulty in recruiting dentists. Mr Macdonald has no desire to take his practice, which is staffed entirely by NHS dentists, into the private sector. Does the minister agree that that is exactly the type of situation that requires immediate and urgent attention?

Photo of Tom McCabe Tom McCabe Labour

I agree fully with that. The incentive package that was introduced has in many respects helped to stem the tide, but it has not been totally successful. That is why we fully recognise that there is a need to review again the provision of dental health services in Scotland. I entirely concur with the sentiments of Mr Macdonald—[ Laughter. ]—I mean Mr Morrison.