asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that virtually no dental treatment for adults is available in the Western Health Board area at present; and if he will make a statement on his proposals to improve this situation.
Written Answers. - Western Health Board Area Dental-Orthodontic Service.
303.
It is a matter for each health board to allocate the funds available to them between the different services they provide as they see fit. At present the Western Health Board are only providing adults with emergency dental treatment for the relief of pain and sepsis. The implementation of improvements in the level of the dental service for eligible adults in the Western Health Board is a matter for the health board in the first instance.
The Deputy will also be aware that I have made £30,000 available in the current year to the Western Health Board to commence the treatment of 50 priority orthodontic cases.
304.
asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the guidelines of his Department under which patients are assessed and categorised for orthodontic treatment; if he can indicate when an assessment under these guidelines has been carried out in the Western Health Board area; and if he will indicate the numbers and category of patients in the Western Health Board area now eligible and awaiting assistance and treatment.
The criteria which were notified to the health boards by my Department on 22 January 1985 to be applied in assessing degrees of priority for orthodontic treatment (listed in decreasing order of priority) are as follows:
A. Patients with cleft palate and/or cleft lip, or with oral pathology, or with an orthognathic surgery requirement.
B. Patients with extreme handicapping malocclusions.
(A malocclusion is extreme and handicapping when—
(i) the horizontal overjet is equal to or greater than 10mm,
(ii) in the case of inferior protrusion there is a marked discrepancy in the relationship of the apical bases of maxillary and mandibular incisor segments of the jaws,
(iii) there is a deep overbite characterised by the incisors of one jaw not only touching but also traumatising the gingiva or palatal mucosa of the opposite jaw when the teeth are in occlusion,
(iv) there is an open bite or severe cross bit with markedly reduced chewing ability, i.e. occlusal contact on four teeth or less.)
C Patients with non-handicapping malocclusions associated with a definite treatment need, i.e. patients other than those in categories A and B—
(i) whose mastication and speech is affected or is likely to be affected because of the presence of malocclusion,
(ii) in whom other structures of the mouth are being damaged or are likely to be damaged because of the presence of malocclusion,
(iii) whose malocclusions are of such extent and type that disease prevention considerations constitute definite need of treatment.
Assessments under the Department's guidelines are carried out in the Western Health Board area on an on-going basis. At present there are 3,498 persons awaiting orthodontic assessment and/or treatment as follows:
|
Category B |
2,485 |
|
Category C |
1,013 |
|
Total |
3,498 |
The Government recently made an additional £300,000 available to the eight health boards to help reduce waiting lists for orthodontic treatment. This will enable the health boards to initiate programmes of treatment for 500 priority cases in the coming weeks.