AQW 8303/22-27


Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down


Tabled Date: 06/03/2024
Answered On Date: 11/03/2024
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health what action he is taking to ensure children can access NHS dental services.


Answer:
General Dental Practitioners are independent contractors and are not required to register new patients. Neither does the Department commission Health Service places in practices, for adults or children.
There are nineteen practices in the North Down Assembly Area who have made arrangements with the Strategic Performance and Planning Department to provide Health Service dentistry. The Department does not hold any information as to whether these practices currently have room to accept new registrations of children.
General Dental Practices in the North Down Assembly Area at 31st December 2023
Practice1, 2
Practice Address
Abbey Dental Surgery
32 ABBEY STREET, BANGOR, BT20 4JA
Ballyholme Dental Practice
22A GROOMSPORT ROAD, BANGOR, BT20 5LN
Bangor Orthodontics
2 BINGHAM LANE, BANGOR, BT20 5DR
Brunswick Dental Practice
38 BRUNSWICK ROAD, BANGOR, BT20 3DU
BUPA Dental Care Bangor Springhill
BANGOR SPRINGHILL, 4A KILLEEN AVENUE, BT19 1NB
Castlebawn Dental Practice
32-34 Victoria Road, Bangor, BT20 5EX
Clandeboye Dental Clinic
109G CLANDEBOYE ROAD, BANGOR, BT20 3JW
Donaghadee Dental Surgery
55/57 HIGH STREET, DONAGHADEE, BT21 0AQ
Hamilton Road Dental
42 HAMILTON ROAD, BANGOR, BT20 4LE
Harbour Dental Practice
13 THE PARADE, DONAGHADEE, BT21 0AE
Hazeldene Dental Practice
64 DONAGHADEE RD, BANGOR, BT20 4QX
Helens Bay Dental Practice
1A STATION ROAD, HELENS BAY, BT19 1TN
High Street Dental Practice
116 HIGH STREET, HOLYWOOD, BT18 9HW
Hollywood Dental Care
128 HIGH STREET, HOLYWOOD, BT18 9HW
Livingston Dental Healthcare
38 HAMILTON ROAD, BANGOR, BT20 4LE
Mercer Dental Care
97 BRUNSWICK ROAD, BANGOR, BT20 3DW
Nigel Smith Dental Care
107 HAMILTON ROAD, BANGOR, BT20 4LN
Richard Loane & Associates
4 HAMILTON ROAD, BANGOR, BT20 4LE
Shore Road Dental & Implant Clinic
32 SHORE ROAD, HOLYWOOD, BT18 9HX
Active dental surgeries at the 31st December 2023.
List may include a number of Orthodontic and Specialist Practices. These practices do not typically have registered patient lists, with instead patients normally seen on referral from a GDS dental practice.
A key part of the access issues facing patients are the rates being paid to our dentists for treatment. The absence of Executive Ministers has delayed the recommended pay uplifts for staffing groups for 2023/24.  In recent days I have considered proposals for a pay uplift for General Dental Services for 2023/24 that is in line with recommendations contained in the 51st Doctors and Dentists Review Board report. My intentions were communicated to the British Dental Association (Northern Ireland) on 5 March 2024 and the Department awaits a response. Officials have already been making arrangements in anticipation of funding being made available to ensure that uplifts can be implemented as quickly as possible.
I am currently considering investment proposals to further support General Dental Services into 2024/25, which will be shared with the British Dental Association in due course.
A consultation on both Older Persons’ and Children’s Oral Health Improvement plans came to an end this week, on 4 March. The consultation ran for 12 weeks and sought feedback on the recommendations made in each plan.
A pilot scheme is currently running to provide appointments to unregistered patients who require emergency dental treatment during the working week. If a patient is not registered with a dentist, requires emergency dental treatment, and has been unable to access an appointment, they can contact their local Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG) office for advice.