Agenda item

This report provides Members with an update on the provision of NHS dental services in York and presents information requested at previous meetings.

Consideration was given to a report, which provided Members with an update on the provision of NHS dental services in York.

The Committee were reminded that, at their meeting on 5 January 2009, they had requested the dental update to include the following:

Ø     Information should relate to the Selby/York area only

Ø     The number of dentists in the York area

Ø     The number of new dentists in the York area

Ø     The number of dentists providing NHS treatment in the York area

Ø     Information on the number of residents who do not see a dentist at all

Ø     To investigate the possibility of showing the information on ‘waiting times for patients still on the list’ as a mean average over a length of time rather than at a specific point in time.

At the Committee’s meeting in February consideration had been given to a scrutiny topic on ‘Access to Dental Services’ submitted by Cllr Moore. Consideration on whether to progress the topic had been deferred pending receipt of additional information.

Confirmation had now been received that neither York LINk nor North Yorkshire County Council Scrutiny Committee would be examining dental provision at the present time.

Amanda Brown, Assistant Director of Commissioning and Service Development, was in attendance to answer Members questions in relation to the information supplied. Annex 1 of the report detailed the number of new patients seen, residents who do not see a dentist, new patients assigned to a dentist, waiting times and supply of primary dental services. It was confirmed that in Point 3, in the second paragraph, there was a need to add the word ‘charges’ following the word treatment in the fourth line.

The Chair confirmed that this information was now clearer and would assist the Committee in identifying trends.

Members requested clarification that there was no longer a need to register with a dentist, for further details of new patients assigned a dentist and access to emergency treatment out of hours.

Councillor Moore referred to inconsistent dental practices regarding reminders, emergency treatment and requirements for payment in advance. He pointed out that his scrutiny topic referred to whether patients could obtain treatment they required when they needed it.

Consideration was then given to the following options:

Ø     Whether they wished to make any further amendments to the type of information included within the standard report writing template

Ø     Whether they wished to continue receiving quarterly updates on dental services in York from NHS North Yorkshire & York.

Ø     Whether they wished to go ahead with the ‘Access to Dental Services’ Review topic submitted to the Committee by Councillor Moore and discussed at their meeting on 2^nd February 2009.

Following further discussion it was

RESOLVED:            That the Scrutiny Committee:

(i)    Note the report and the update from NHS North Yorkshire & York and agree to continue to monitor the provision of dental services on a quarterly basis;

(ii)  Make no change to the information included in the standard reporting template;

(iii)             Do not proceed with the scrutiny topic on ‘Access to Dental Services’ put forward by Councillor Moore and initially discussed at the Health Scrutiny meeting on 2^nd February 2009.

REASON:                  In order to carry out their duty to promote the health needs of the people they represent.