Primary Care Services in South-east Wales

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:46 pm on 15 June 2022.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Labour 2:46, 15 June 2022

Thanks very much. First of all, I think it's really important that people note that about 20,000 people are treated in terms of dentistry each week in Wales, and the number of dentists has risen in 2018 and 2019 above 1,500. Of course, one of the issues we've had is that the aerosol generating capacity that happens was very dangerous during COVID, and that's where we saw a massive reduction in the ability of patients to get access. Now, I'm very pleased that we've at last seen a de-escalation of the IPC advice in relation to dental practices, and so they will now make their own risk assessment and hopefully they will schedule different people according to the respiratory risks and perhaps put them together at the end of the day. The other issue that we've really focused on is contract reform. In the past, as you know, we've paid according to the units of dental activity. That has completely changed now, and I'm really pleased that 78 per cent of NHS dentists have now moved onto the new contract. What that will mean is that we will see them taking on board new NHS patients, and there will be a requirement to reduce the routine and repetitive work that has been done in the past that didn't necessarily move things on for people.