The provision of orthodontic treatment is the responsibility of the health boards in the first instance.
I recognise that the waiting times for orthodontic treatment are unacceptably long. Following recommendations in the Moran report, entitled Review of Orthodontic Services, structural changes are being introduced in orthodontic services. These structural changes include the creation of the grade of specialist in orthodontics, the development of specialist training programmes and the creation of a grade of auxiliary dental worker to work in the orthodontic area. It will be some time before these structural changes impact significantly on service levels. Consequently, I asked health boards to develop proposals to make an immediate significant impact on their waiting lists. Additional funding of £5.3 million has been provided for orthodontic services this year, of which £3.7 million is to fund an initiative on orthodontic waiting lists. This will enable health boards to recruit additional staff and engage the services of private practitioners to treat patients.
The chief executive officers of the health boards have informed me that the number of patients awaiting assessment and treatment in their areas of responsibility at 31 of March 2001 were as follows: