NHS Dentistry

In response to a question from Cathy Peattie MSP, the Scottish Executive has announced further steps to reward dentists who provide NHS services. Dentists in deprived areas across Scotland will be invited to apply for a deprived area allowance, equivalent to the existing remote area allowance, and worth up to £9000 per dentist in the current financial year; and practitioner commitment payments, paid to any dentist earning over £25,750 a year from NHS work, will be increased by 25% from 1 April 2007. New measures are also being put in place to protect enhanced payments for NHS-committed practices, which fall short of the criteria for these payments for a single quarter but seek to address this by registering new NHS patients.

Cathy said: "I tabled this as an oral question a couple of weeks ago because of my concern about the problems my constituents have been having securing NHS treatment. Although I didn't get to highlight this with a supplementary question, I am pleased that the Minister's written response was backed up by such immediate action. This is definitely a significant step in right direction. This should attract more dentists to NHS dentistry, and help those already offering NHS services to maintain and expand their commitment."

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