Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further the Local Government Association analysis identifying “dental deserts”, how (1) they, and (2) NHS England, work with dental charities to deliver dental hygiene education in areas with relatively low numbers of NHS dentists.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England engages with dental charities, including on the promotion of existing services, seeking engagement from service users or the commissioning of services.
On 19 July 2022, we announced amendments to the National Health Service dentistry contract, including fairer remuneration for dentists to improve care for patients with more complex needs, supporting practices to deliver additional NHS care and improving information for patients. The Department and NHS England are working with the dental sector on further improvements to NHS dentistry to consider new payment models and encouraging dentists to work in areas of need. Further information on these measures will be available in 2023.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they and NHS England work with dental charities to deliver dental services in areas seen as ‘dental deserts’.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England engages with dental charities, including on the promotion of existing services, seeking engagement from service users or the commissioning of services.
On 19 July 2022, we announced amendments to the National Health Service dentistry contract, including fairer remuneration for dentists to improve care for patients with more complex needs, supporting practices to deliver additional NHS care and improving information for patients. The Department and NHS England are working with the dental sector on further improvements to NHS dentistry to consider new payment models and encouraging dentists to work in areas of need. Further information on these measures will be available in 2023.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has had with the Department of Health and Social Care about ensuring that analogue telecare devices continue to work safely after the digital switchover has been completed in 2025.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has had frequent discussions with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on this issue. On 7 September 2022, the Department of Health and Social Care chaired a meeting on the switchover and on 24 November, we wrote to telecare service providers and device manufacturers to request the results of testing of analogue devices on digital telephone networks. On 5 December, the Department of Health and Social Care published the online only ‘Telecare stakeholder action plan: preparations for the analogue to digital switchover’ which co-ordinates actions to support telecare service providers and encourages further testing.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government which dental charities are working in England to promote better dental hygiene in schools and local communities, including those that donate free toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in ensuring that analogue telecare devices continue to work safely after the digital switchover in 2025.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following a Ministerial meeting on 7 September on the telecommunications industry led digital switchover, on 24 November we wrote to telecare service providers and telecare device manufacturers to request the results of tests undertaken and recent alarm call data history, to understand the reliability of analogue telecare devices on digital telephone lines. This was supported by the Tech Enabled Care Services Association, the Local Government Association, the Housing Learning and Improvement Network, TEC Cymru, the Digital Office for Scottish Local Government and Digital Health and Care Northern Ireland. Initial data will be analysed and will be available by early February 2023. We have also agreed a Telecare Stakeholder Action Plan to encourage further testing of analogue devices, which will be published shortly.