Written question WQ82911

During the COVID-19 pandemic Health Boards have the flexibility to pay NHS contractors a range of between 80% and 100% of their annual dental contract value dependent on the level of service delivery and where practices are also willing to accept referrals and offer open access. Delivery of NHS services is measured and being managed by Health Boards who have responsibility for local commissioning and control of their own dental budgets to provide NHS care to meet local needs and the wider oral health agenda.

The very nature of independent and private practice means that private treatment is not part of public service provision nor is it funded through NHS investment from the Welsh Government.

However, it is a priority for the Welsh Government that dental practices do not financially fail through no fault of practice owners and contract holders at this time. I appreciate the situation dental practices in Wales that are wholly private find themselves in, however, there are no levers within NHS funding to support them. We have acknowledged the complexity of the current situation and the changing picture with regard to possible support from other UK and Welsh Government backed schemes and accept that practices may have needed to seek other sources of support to cover their non-NHS business, and to consider whether staff not usually employed on NHS work were furloughed.

The full return of dental services will continue to be gradual. We know this has been a challenging time and recognise the impact that COVID-19 has had on individual members of the dental team and on the profession as a whole. The approach we are taking proposes to deliver dental services for those most in need, with the treatments provided increasing as the COVID-19 risk reduces. We need dental practices to continue to follow strict infection control measures, including social distancing, to protect practice staff, patients and the wider community.