National Health Service Dentists (Orkney)

Scottish Executive Question Time — Health and Wellbeing – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:15 pm on 24 June 2010.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Liam McArthur Liam McArthur Liberal Democrat 2:15, 24 June 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the 1,500 people waiting to register with an NHS dentist in Orkney to be registered. (S3O-11079)

Photo of Shona Robison Shona Robison Scottish National Party

Responsibility for the overall provision of NHS dental services in the area rests with NHS Orkney. Progress has been made in adult and child registrations, with an additional 1,713 new patients being registered with an NHS dentist in Orkney between December 2008 and December 2009. Plans to increase capacity further are well advanced. In addition, Orkney NHS Board has advised that a dental review will be undertaken to consider demand, activity, waiting list management and how best to use current capacity. The review will report in early August, and a timescale for addressing the outstanding registration waiting list will be available following that review.

Photo of Liam McArthur Liam McArthur Liberal Democrat

I thank the minister for that detailed response. She will recall that I had an exchange with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing in November 2008 on the same subject. Although there has been progress on registrations in some respects, they have simply mopped up an additional 3,000 to 4,000 patients who were added to the waiting list as a result of the departure of two or three dentists.

Despite what was said in 2008 about proposals for expanding employment and premises, the figure of 1,500 patients on the waiting list remains stubbornly resistant. What assurances can the minister give that that figure is likely to reduce over the next 12 to 18 months?

Photo of Shona Robison Shona Robison Scottish National Party

Further to my first answer, an outline business case for improved provision of dental facilities to increase capacity is in development. In the meantime, as I alluded to, current capacity is being examined for efficiencies. NHS Orkney was allocated £1.35 million of primary and community care premises modernisation programme funding to be used for dental provision.

However, it is acknowledged that there is still a core of patients who require to be registered. That is why the dental review will be undertaken. It will report in early August, and a timescale for acting on what needs to be done beyond what has already been done or is in the process of being done will be outlined as the review reports.