Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of having dentists' representation on Integrated Care Boards.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The Health and Care Act 2022 sets out the minimum membership requirement of the integrated care boards, which include representatives from National Health Service trusts, primary care and local authorities. However, by local agreement, these minimum requirements can be supplemented in order to address local needs.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to bring forward a workforce strategy to help improve rates of recruitment and retention within the dental sector.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
Health Education England has undertaken a three-year review of education and training which is being implemented through the Dental Education Reform Programme to improve recruitment and retention.
In July 2022, we announced measures to reform National Health Service dental services to increase access for patients and remunerate dentists fairly for caring for patients with complex needs. We are also working with NHS England and the sector on longer-term improvements to make NHS dentistry a more attractive place to work.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to (a) move towards a preventative model of care for dentistry and (b) bring forward a public awareness campaign on oral health.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
NHS England will engage with stakeholders in dental professional groups on improving urgent care access; supporting access for new patients; re-orientating the system towards prevention; and on dental team recruitment and retention and integration with the National Health Service.
In addition, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has published ‘Delivering better oral health: an evidence-based toolkit for prevention’ for dental teams to support delivery of preventive advice and treatment for patients, which is available at the following link:
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether people aged under 50 will be offered a covid-19 autumn booster.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The Government continues to be guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on who should be offered COVID-19 vaccinations. On 15 July 2022, the Government accepted the JCVI’s advice that the primary aim of the COVID-19 booster vaccine programme this autumn should be to augment immunity in those who are at higher risk from COVID-19 and thereby optimise protection against severe COVID-19, specifically hospitalisation and death, over winter 2022 to 2023. This includes all adults aged 50 years and over and individuals aged five to 49 in a clinical risk group. The clinical risk groups for COVID-19 vaccination are defined in the UK Health Security Agency’s ‘Green Book’ on vaccines and immunisation.