Parliamentary Questions to end of session
- Details
- Published: Wednesday, 03 May 2017 07:45
- Written by News Editor
- Hits: 2874
A flurry of questions were answered in the last weeks of the Parliamentary session before the General Election. Questions from Steve McCabe came on undelivered UDAs (last year) and prevention, as well as the number of school days lost through dental symptoms. Another Labour MP Grahame Morris asked about the effect of low pay awards on the Service.
Steve McCabe Labour, Birmingham, Selly Oak asked how many units of dental activity were unused in 2015-16 and what the total value of unused units of dental activity was in 2015-16. Minister David Mowat replied “Data collected by the BSA shows that in 2015-16 there were 2,688 dental contracts which did not deliver all of their contracted units of dental activity (UDA) totalling 4,352,738 UDAs. The total value of this was £120,090,256.”
Steve McCabe also asked when NHS England plans to start a scheme in Birmingham to prevent poor oral health in children. Minister David Mowat replied: “Improving oral health, particularly of children, is a priority. Nationally, NHS England and the Department are testing new ways of providing dental care focussed on preventing future disease. NHS England also intends to roll out a scheme across the West Midlands to support dentists to intervene early where children’s oral health is at risk.
“NHS England has advised that it has not yet set a date for a roll out of this scheme across the West Midlands area. The timetable for roll out will be discussed by NHS England West Midlands Local Office with their Local Dental Network in July. This will also cover scope of the scheme. A prior pilot scheme in Herefordshire focussed on educating dentists about best practice in addressing high dental needs in young children.”
Grahame Morris Labour MP for Easington asked what information the Department holds on the potential effect of public sector pay restraint on recruitment and retention in the NHS. Junior minister Philip Dunne replied: “The NHS Pay Review Body and Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration Body are independent bodies that have been in place for decades, and are led by experts that consider written and oral evidence about the recruitment, retention and motivation of NHS staff. They gather evidence from many stakeholders, not just the government, including NHS trades unions, NHS Employers, NHS Providers, NHS Improvement, Health Education England and NHS England.
“Based on that evidence the Pay Review Bodies prepare reports for government which make recommendations on the level of pay award that will enable the NHS to continue to recruit, retain and motivate the staff it needs. The reports consider carefully a range of issues including affordability of the workforce and the prevailing public sector pay policy.
“On 28 March this year the Government accepted the Pay Review Bodies recommendation for a 1% pay increase for all NHS staff for 2017/18, which will be in addition to incremental pay for those staff that are eligible.”
Steve McCabe also asked the Education Department what estimate had been made of the number of school days lost as a result of children's dental problems in each of the last five school years. Minister Edward Timpson replied: “The Department does not hold data on absence due to children's dental problems. Figures for absence by reason, including authorised absence for illness and medical/dental appointments, are published in “Pupil absence in schools in England: 2015 to 2016”,
You need to be logged in to leave comments.
Report