Written question WQ85613

The Welsh Government’s Programme for Government, which sets out our priorities up to 2026, makes a commitment to reform primary care dentistry and also increase access to dentists. I would like to clarify, that in April 2022 practices were offered a choice to opt-in to a contract variation to deliver new metrics that follow the principals of contract reform; or a return to contractual arrangements based wholly on delivery of Units of Dental Activity (UDA). The expected UDA target for these practices will be 95% of pre-Covid/pre-reform level. This is not a ‘new contract’ as such, but is a variation modelled on the lessons learned learning from contract reform, the pandemic response, and consolidating familiarity with a need/risk led preventive and evidenced informed provision of primary care dentistry.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has confirmed that 70% of dental contracts have moved onto the contract variation that follows the principles of reform. More importantly, this represents 80% of the total contract value of commissioned NHS dental services. The contract value is more important than the number of contracts because it is the contract value that sets the metrics for new patient access. This is a key intervention and means that the overwhelming majority of practices are now working under the principles of dental reform, focussing on prevention and needs based treatment which will ultimately create capacity for more patients to access NHS dental provision.