Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of dentists and dental staff being ineligible for a free flu vaccination on the ability of patients to access dental services; and if he will make a statement.

Provision of flu vaccination for frontline health care workers, including National Health Service independent contractors such as dentists, is the responsibility of the employer, as part of their occupational health responsibility.

Some dentists and other dental staff who are in an ‘at-risk’ group will continue to be eligible for a free flu vaccine under the flu programme.