AQW 20236/22-27


Mr Danny Donnelly
Alliance Party
East Antrim


Tabled Date: 09/01/2025
Answered On Date: 24/01/2025
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health, pursuant to AQO 266/22-27, for an update on the progress made by his Department on their assessment of the April 2024 Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health report Worried and Waiting.


Answer:
Information on the whole-time equivalent (WTE) number of HSC Trust employed dentists in the years 2018 to 2024 is detailed in the tables below.
Table 1 presents figures on community dentists who are those directly employed by HSC Trusts. Community dentists provide dental services to patients with special care needs who are unable to attend a general dental practice because of their particular care needs.
Table 2 presents figures on other Trust-employed dentists, including consultants, specialty dentists and sessional practitioners working in areas such as oral surgery, maxillo-facial surgery, orthodontics and restorative dentistry.
Table 1: HSC Community Dentists Employed 1 (Whole-Time Equivalent) at 30 June, 2018-2024 by HSC Trust
Position at 30 June:
Belfast HSC Trust
Northern HSC Trust
South Eastern HSC Trust
Southern HSC Trust
Western HSC Trust
Total
2018
12.61
17.16
14.11
11.92
7.57
63.36
2019
14.75
16.35
14.31
11.28
8.50
65.19
2020
15.13
15.74
15.51
12.88
10.29
69.55
2021
14.13
14.12
15.18
11.79
10.07
65.29
2022
13.29
14.57
13.86
12.60
10.46
64.78
2023
11.69
15.00
14.36
14.09
11.06
66.21
2024
12.15
15.94
14.61
12.97
10.15
65.83
Source: Information & Analysis Directorate, DoH
Table 2: HSC Hospital Dentists Employed2 (Whole-Time Equivalent) at 30 June, 2018-2024 by HSC Trust
 
Belfast HSC Trust
Northern HSC Trust
South Eastern HSC Trust
Southern HSC Trust
Western HSC Trust
Total
Jun-18
14.58
1.40
10.48
1.00
7.60
35.05
Jun-19
14.16
1.40
10.15
0.90
6.95
33.56
Jun-20
15.03
1.80
12.10
0.90
5.00
34.83
Jun-21
16.21
1.40
12.05
0.90
6.00
36.56
Jun-22
21.45
1.40
10.16
0.96
7.00
40.97
Jun-23
20.90
1.20
9.16
1.66
6.90
39.82
Jun-24
20.91
1.20
9.56
1.66
6.90
40.23
Source: Information & Analysis Directorate, DoH
2 Figures do not include staff on dental foundation or specialty training.