This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Deacon announces membership of dental action plan support group
27/11/2000
Membership of the expert team who will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Scottish Executive's Dental Action Plan for Scotland was announced today by the Health Minister, Susan Deacon.
The Implementation Support Group, which also met for the first time today, will be chaired by the Chief Executive of Lothian Primary Care Trust, David Pigott.
Announcing the Group's membership, Susan Deacon, said:
"The Executive's Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland, which we announced during the summer, will aim to radically improve Scotland's poor dental health record and help professionals, parents and children, work together to achieve a marked improvement in the health of Scots' teeth.
"The Implementation Support Group will prioritise the key issues within the action plan, monitor and report on the progress of implementation, identify any additional issues which require consideration, and address the longer-term issues for dentistry in Scotland.
"Scotland's dental health has began to improve in the past few years - thanks in part to the dental profession. However, with more than half of five year-olds still showing signs of dental disease, a great deal more work still to be done.
"The single biggest cause of hospital admission with general admission for under fives is tooth extraction. We can and must work together to turn this situation around.
"The Dental Action Plan and Dental Implementation Support Group will help us work with the dental profession to ensure that people across Scotland have access to high quality dental services. The Group will also help us progress towards the targets laid down in 'Towards a Healthier'. Our aim is that by 2010, 60 per cent of five year-olds should have no dental disease, and less than five per cent of 45 to 54 year-olds should have no natural teeth.
"I am confident that this team of experts will give real impetus to current and future initiatives on the prevention and treatment of dental disease, so that future young Scots can be freed from the pain of fillings and extractions."
BACKGROUND
1. The full membership of the support group will be as follows -
Chair
David Pigott, Chief Executive, Lothian Primary Care Trust
British Dental Association
Jim McDonald - Chair, BDA Scottish Council
Bob Hamilton - Chair, Community and Public Health Dentistry
Graham McKirdy - Chair, Scottish Dental Practice Committee (SDPC)
Robert Donald - Vice-Chair, SDPC
Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education
Jim Rennie, Dental Director
Health Board Consultants in Dental Public Health (CDPH)
Graham Ball, Chair CDPH
Scottish Consumer Council
Martyn Evans, Director
Scottish Dental Practice Board
Denis Toppin, Dental Member
Professions Complementary to Dentistry
Margaret Ross, Hygienist Tutor, Glasgow Dental Hospital & School
Scottish Association of Health Councils
Robert Davidson.
Primary Care Trusts
Cathy Lush, Community Dental Services Manager, Highland PCT
plus one nomination to be confirmed.
Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD)
Ray Watkins, Chief Dental Officer
Hamish Wilson, Divisional Head, Primary Care Unit, Health Policy Directorate
Eric Gray, Branch Head, Primary Care Unit, Health Policy Directorate
The Group will be able to co-opt others as required and have input from other divisions of the SEHD.
2. The Dental Action Plan for Scotland, launched on 14 August this year, will be implemented in two stages. There will be a short to medium term action plan with clear objectives and a longer-term look at other fundamental issues relating to dental health, including the balance between prevention and repair treatment, the nature and extent of services provided, and an examination of remuneration for general dental services with rewards for quality rather quantity. The plan will help the Executive, NHS, professionals, and parents work together to help achieve the targets set out in the White Paper 'Towards a Healthier Scotland', which particularly emphasised the links between tooth decay and deprivation.
3. As part of the plan, an additional £1m was made available this financial year for fissure sealants, professional development, and checks to confirm treatment eligibility. A further £500,000 of current expenditure is being used to fund the short term, local initiatives, while around £1m from Scotland's £26 share of the tobacco tax is helping to fund the three year programme for free toothbrushes and toothpaste for all babies under 12 months, and selected distribution to one to three year-olds in deprived parts of Scotland.
News Release: SE3053/2000
27 Nov 2000