To ask the Minister of Health to outline his plans for the full resumption of dentistry services.

Mr Swann

I thank the Member for his question. Enhanced infection prevention and control measures have reduced patient throughput by approximately 60%. As soon as those measures can be safely eased, they will be, and the Chief Dental Officer continues to liaise with colleagues across the United Kingdom on that critical issue. To ensure that the limited treatment capacity is targeted appropriately, the guidance issued to all dentists recommends that patients are prioritised on the basis of need and that any patient who requires emergency or urgent care is given the highest priority. A financial support scheme was established in April 2020 to support dental practices. The scheme provides an additional payment to eligible practitioners each month based on their average earnings in 2019-20. To date, the Department has been able to invest £57 million in relation to those issues since the pandemic started. Furthermore, in February 2021, I established a £1·5 million revenue grant fund to help practices to invest in measures such as improved ventilation systems. That fund is helping to build capacity throughout the sector and is addressing some of the patient throughput issues that have been unavoidable in recent times. Our short-term objective is to support the increase in activity levels through continued financial support that incentivises the treatment of priority health service patients in a manner that is safe for patients and staff. Looking forward, the Department, as part of its wider approach of rebuilding services, is engaging with the British Dental Association on the continuation of the financial support scheme and support for PPE for the remainder of this financial year. Whilst we need to deal with those immediate issues, we also need to consider how dental services can be provided in a sustainable way going forward. To that end, I have asked officials to establish a general dental services rebuilding stakeholder group, which will formalise engagement between the Department, the HSCB and the British Dental Association so that momentum around those issues continues.

Mr Swann

I thank the Member for his question. The guidance that we use was agreed with the chief dental officers across the United Kingdom, so there is a UK-wide approach to those recommendations; it is not one that has been taken solely by my Department. Further to that, as I said in my initial answer, that is why I established a £1·5 million revenue grant fund to help practices to invest in measures such as improved ventilation systems so that we can rebuild capacity throughout the sector.

Mr Robinson

I heard the Minister's answer to the previous question, but will he give an undertaking that, equally, GP practices should fully reopen so that patients and constituents can access GP surgeries and services?

Mr Swann

I thank the Member for his question. I am aware that the Royal College of General Practitioners and the British Medical Association's general practitioners committee commented on that matter recently.

I support and applaud the work that they have done through the pandemic. It has been a challenge, not only with an increase in referrals and attendances but as they get back to having as many face-to-face appointments as they can. I am aware that some GP practices across the country are not providing as full a service as they might do. I share the frustration at that, as do members of the Royal College of GPs and the British Medical Association committee of GPs, which are fully committed to re-servicing and to seeing as many of their patients as they safely can.

Ms Ní Chuilín

I thank Andrew for tabling the question. The Minister will be aware that the number of children, particularly in areas of deprivation, who have had teeth extracted as a result of poor diet and nutrition has always been an issue. As part of the deliberations about recovery, will he bring forward an up-to-date oral health strategy, particularly for children and young people and for disabled people? I, too, put on record my support for the Minister and, indeed, his family.

Mr Swann

I thank the Member for her comments. She will be aware that our current Northern Ireland oral health strategy was published in 2007. Despite its age, the main oral health problems described in the document and acknowledged by the Member remain the same and are largely still valid today. The young people's oral health options group has been delayed until later this year, although some preparatory work has commenced. The older adults' health options group has been established and is chaired by the acting Chief Dental Officer. The oral health strategy for older adults is expected to be published this year. The intention is that the groups establish the oral health needs of children and older adults in Northern Ireland and review the evidence base in order to determine which preventative interventions are likely to be most effective and also provide value for money.