This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Investment in NHS dentistry
22/03/2004
An investment of £4.5 million to support NHS dentistry
was announced today.
Dentists will receive £3 million for improvements such
as making practices more accessible to disabled people or
to purchase new equipment.
In addition, the general dental practice allowance,
designed to help dentists with administrative costs such as
health and safety and training and supporting staff, is to
be increased by 50 per cent this year to £4.5 million - an
increase of £1.5 million.
Deputy Health Minister Tom McCabe said:
"Improving access to dental services and ensuring that
patients benefit from up to date dental equipment is vital
to ensure that we provide dental services fit for the 21st
century.
"Last year, dentists in Scotland used this money to
purchase x-ray units, dental chairs and to install ramps
and handrails to improve access for disabled people.
"This year's funding will be used to build on these
improvements and extend them to more practices in
Scotland.
"Since 2002 we have invested almost #15 million in
modernising dental services in Scotland. This money has
provided dentists both with funding to improve their
practices and with incentives to train new staff or set up
in areas where there are gaps in services. However it is
clear that there is more work to be done.
"Our consultation on Modernising Dental Services in
Scotland will finish shortly. We have received a large
number of responses, and have held local meetings
throughout Scotland, where we have heard a range of views.
I want to ensure that in responding to this consultation we
consider all these views carefully and thoroughly, and
develop proposals that will make a real difference in
helping us provide sustainable dental services for the
future."
The consultation, Modernising NHS Dental Services in
Scotland, is currently underway and aims to identify ways
forward for NHS dentistry in Scotland. The consultation
ends on Friday April 2.
Practice Improvement funding will be distributed to
dentists via NHS Boards. Funding will be as follows:
Argyll and Clyde - £260,400
Ayrshire and Arran - £210,300
Borders - £58,200
Dumfries and Galloway - £61,800
Fife - £187,200
Forth Valley - £168,300
Grampian - £257,700
Greater Glasgow - £613,500
Highland - £101,700
Lanarkshire - £321,600
Lothian - £486,300
Orkney - £9,000
Shetland - £12,000
Tayside - £239,400
Western Isles - £12,600