Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will work with the CQC to ensure that inspections of care homes and hospitals include an assessment of the standards of oral health.

As the independent regulator of health and adult social care providers in England, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for deciding its own regulatory inspection and assessment framework.

The CQC has advised the following:

Oral health is an integral part of general health and the CQC recognises that for those residents in care homes, or patients in hospital, oral health is important in terms of dignity, self-esteem and comfort.

The assessment of oral health needs in care homes is covered by several care Key Lines of Enquiry in the CQC’s inspection and assessment framework.

The maintenance of oral health for patients in hospital is similarly important, and should be part of good nursing care where patients are unable to look after their oral health themselves.