Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that integrated care systems have the resources they require to deliver dental services after their transfer to ICSs.

Since 1 July 2022, nine integrated care boards (ICBs) have responsibility for the commissioning of one or more pharmaceutical services, general ophthalmic services and dental services. NHS England plans to delegate commissioning responsibility to all remaining ICBs for all pharmaceutical, general ophthalmic and dental services from 1 April 2023. NHS England will work with systems to strengthen involvement in decisions during 2022/23 and support ICBs’ development and readiness for these delegated responsibilities from April 2023.