Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with local authorities on ensuring the adequacy of the provision of guidance for the most vulnerable people on their entitlement to free dental health care in certain circumstances.

No discussions have taken place with local authorities about the adequacy of guidance for vulnerable people on their entitlement for free dental health care. However, the Department, NHS Business Services Authority and NHS England recognise concerns that some patients may not be clear on whether they are exempt from charges and have been working to further improve the information available to patients around eligibility. This includes promoting an easy read patient information booklet, creating an online eligibility checker and developing a national awareness campaign.

Information on which groups of patients are exempt is widely available. All dental practices providing National Health Service care are contractually required to display a standard poster setting out current NHS charges and highlighting that patients may be exempt from or entitled to help with charges. This poster along with a patient leaflet setting out NHS dental entitlements in more detail, is provided free of charge to every practice in England delivering NHS dental treatment.

As well as in all NHS dental practices information on charges and exemptions is also available through other channels such as the NHS Website dental section (formerly NHS Choices) and in the NHS ‘help with health costs’ booklet. NHS England also runs periodic local initiatives, where it assesses whether there is a need to further raise awareness locally among those patients who may be exempt or are through low income entitled to partial help with costs.