Dental Services

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:22 pm on 24 February 2021.

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Photo of Paul Davies Paul Davies Conservative 2:22, 24 February 2021

Minister, as I know you're aware, I've been contacted by local dentists in my constituency who are frustrated at the lack of support that they've received during the pandemic, as they've incurred substantial costs in order to treat local patients and help offset a potential crisis in oral health by providing vital care to local people.

I know that we've corresponded on this matter a few times over the last few months, and I appreciate from your latest letter that health boards have the flexibility to pay NHS contractors 80 per cent to 100 per cent of their annual dental contract value. But, clearly, from the discussions I'm having with dentists, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Given that it's important to ensure that dentists can survive during this pandemic, and if health boards have the flexibility to support dentists as just mentioned, what discussions has the Welsh Government had with Hywel Dda University Health Board about this issue in order to ensure that there is consistency across the whole of Wales? Can you also tell us what the Welsh Government is doing to protect the sustainability of the sector for the future, so that people who need treatment are able to access it in their local communities?