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19 July 2007 : Column 620W—continued

Dental contracts, strategic health authorities in England, as at 31 March 2002
		UDAs commissioned			UDAs recommissioned
SHA code	SHA name	And provided	But not yet provided	Total	And provided	But not yet provided	Total
		b2	b1	b1+b2	a2	a1	a1+a2
	England	77,125,114	1,286,803	78,411,917	2,533,414	302,651	2,836,065
Q30	North East	4,713,693	105,887	4,819,580	134,825	22,076	156,901
Q31	North West	11,827,723	166,087	11,993,810	371,594	43,458	415,052
Q32	Yorkshire and the Humber	8,245,279	105,919	8,351,198	216,859	6,386	223,245
Q33	East Midlands	6,539,671	414,097	6,953,768	311,946	31,359	343,305
Q34	West Midlands	8,959,524	162,140	9,121,664	278,385	70,588	348,973
Q35	East of England	8,649,715	75,031	8,724,746	319,449	7,777	327,226
Q36	London	10,565,491	10,677	10,576,168	174,014	1,200	175,214
Q37	South East Coast	5,534,358	74,990	5,609,348	221,201	30,497	251,698
Q38	South Central	4,654,848	116,685	4,771,533	243,695	53,555	297,250
Q39	South West	7,434,812	55,290	7,490,102	261,446	35,755	297,201

		Contracts	UDAs	Contracts	UDAs	Contracts	UDAs	Contracts	UDAs
SHA code	SHA name	c1+c3+c5	c2+c4+c6	c1	c2	c3	c4	c5	c6
	England	2,726	27,915,402	396	4,018,349	2,315	23,758,039	15	139,014
Q30	North East	91	1,351,863	1	19,510	89	1,328,853	1	3,500
Q31	North West	352	3,877,158	27	364,102	323	3,500,294	2	12,762
Q32	Yorkshire and the Humber	299	3,798,330	55	683,155	241	3,093,780	3	21,395
Q33	East Midlands	209	2,432,718	47	449,777	156	1,907,106	6	75,835
Q34	West Midlands	364	3,713,277	67	621,239	296	3,091,058	1	980
Q35	East of England	315	2,666,950	49	528,107	266	2,138,843	—	—
Q36	London	439	3,452,175	36	299,688	403	3,152,487	—	—
Q37	South East Coast	252	2,141,984	54	453,584	197	1,671,625	1	16,775
Q38	South Central	195	1,874,177	28	217,498	166	1,648,912	1	7,767
Q39	South West	210	2,606,770	32	381,689	178	2,225,081	—	—
Source: Department of Health form DC01.

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of patients who underwent assessment were assessed as eligible for national health service orthodontic treatment, broken down by primary care trust in the last 12 months. [149690]

Ann Keen: Information is not held centrally in this form. Information has been placed in the Library which shows the ratio of case assessments to case starts (i.e. the start of a course of treatment) notified to the Business Services Authority, Dental Services Division for the period April 2006 to March 2007 for national
19 July 2007 : Column 621W
health service orthodontic services provided under primary care contracts. However, there are likely to be a number of potential reasons (i.e. not limited to decisions that a patient is not eligible for treatment) why a case assessment is not followed by a case start.

Under the dental reforms introduced in April 2006, all providers of primary care orthodontic services are required to use a well-established index of orthodontic treatment need to assess eligibility for NHS treatment. This provides a fairer and more consistent way of assessing clinical needs and ensuring that resources are deployed on treatments that bring genuine health gain. It is for primary care trusts to agree local clinical governance frameworks that cover what information providers of orthodontic services have to make available to demonstrate compliance with this and other contractual requirements.

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to assist the resolution of the general dental services contracts that were in dispute at 31 March. [149693]

Ann Keen: Primary care trusts and local providers of national health service dental services are responsible for seeking to resolve any disputed elements of NHS contracts. If the parties cannot reach a local resolution, the dispute can be referred to the NHS Litigation Authority. The NHS primary care contracting team offers and provides support and advice on dispute resolution to those commissioners who request it.

Eighty seven per cent. of all those contracts originally signed in dispute have so far been resolved. Well over 99 per cent. of the disputes so far resolved have ended in the dentist deciding to stay with the NHS.

Dental Services: Waiting Lists

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for orthodontic treatment was in each primary care trust in each year since 2001. [149689]

Ann Keen: Tables have been placed in the Library which set out available information on the average waiting times for first consultant outpatient appointments and for hospital orthodontic treatment. Information relating to treatment in primary care is not collected centrally.

Average waiting times are based on the median wait of patients still waiting for admission or first outpatient appointment at the end of the quarter. For outpatients, medians can also be calculated using patients seen during the quarter. However, for consistency with inpatient data, the outpatient median has been calculated from those still waiting.

Dentistry: Training

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis applicants to practise as dentists in the NHS are able to claim exemption from the requirement to undertake vocational training in the UK prior to acceptance; and if he will make a statement. [149502]

19 July 2007 : Column 622W

Ann Keen: Dentists who hold appropriate European diplomas are exempt from the requirement to undertake vocational training. Dentists who, in the four years before applying for inclusion in a primary care trust’s (PCT) dental performers list, have experience in primary care for a total period of at least two years or an equivalent period part time in the community dental service, the armed forces of the Crown, or the performance of personal dental services prior to 1 April 2006, are also exempt. Through their responsibility for clinical governance and the management of their performers lists PCTs are accountable for the quality of the services provided by all dentists on their lists.

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