Dentistry

The Scottish government is at last showing some signs that they may eventually live up to their plan for NHS dentistry "that the service will be open to everyone."

We know the problem in our area is acute. And Rhona Brankin, the Deputy Health Minister is quoted as saying:

"In Glasgow, more than 60 per cent of children have dental disease before they reach the age of three. So there is a huge job to be done."

Across Scotland the problem is serious.

The Executive's record on the issue to date is quite interesting.

I have asked how many dentists we would have in 10 years' time – they did not know. I asked about the average waiting time for NHS dentistry – they did not know. And on the back of last week’s announcement of new funds for dentistry when I asked what fee level their new money was based on – they did not know.

In documents such their draft budget for 2005-06 they set nine health objectives but not one on dentistry. It is not a one-off, though. If we go back a year and look at the budget for 2004-05, we find 14 objectives but not one on dentistry. It is not even confined to two years. If we go back another year, again we find not one objective on dentistry.

A written answer showed why we suffer. The three Aberdeenshire parliamentary constituencies have about 18 NHS dentists each. A constituency near Glasgow has 43. No wonder a dentist from there is offering us NHS dentistry!

But there may be hope.

A rise of £50 million each year, the figure suggested by my party colleagues during a debate earlier this month, can make a difference. But will it?

The government’s plans are to increase the number of dentists by 200 across Scotland. Aberdeenshire needs 75 of these alone to come up to the standard of Eastwood near Glasgow. Spreading the remainder over the remaining 69 constituencies means two for each.

So 200 may not be enough to reduce workloads, enable every person in Scotland who needs an NHS dentist to find one and start to tackle dental ill-health across the country.

Watch this space for updates.

Infrastructure

It might not be obvious to everyone what infrastructure actually is for government. But with the publication of a Scottish government infrastructure plan for the first time we can see. Basically it is our road, railways and other arteries of communication coupled with investment in school and hospital buildings.

So what are the plans?

A welcome indication that the Scottish government has laid aside £6.9 million as their contribution to a new Chalmers Hospital in Banff is one.

But to see only £107 million for information technology in the NHS was not so welcome.

In England and Wales they have embarked on an £8,000 million patients’ records system. With more and more initial contact being with people other than one’s GP – NHS24 and “Out of Hours” spring to mind – it is vital that good access is provided to existing medical information on the caller. And at present there is virtually none.

One might imagine that for a modest sum we might “piggy back” on the new system being developed south of the border. Alas, like so many government computer projects, it is late, over budget, generally in difficulties.

But it is still needed and Scotland needs it too.

Prisons

The stage 2 review of prisons estates is lumbering on to a conclusion. For us in the North-East that means an opportunity to put the case for a replacement for Peterhead’s 1888 building.

Contrary to the view in some quarters, the case for a new prison in Peterhead has never been stronger. During her visit to our prison last year, the Minister for Justice made it clear that she valued community support for our prison. And she was impressed by the work there.

Over the period since, many others have met with her and reinforced that message.

Signs are that there will be more money for prison buildings in 2007. But clearly the decision will come much sooner – in my view, an indication before summer – with a firm decision towards the end of the year.

But with the Minister taking over many of the important decisions from the Chief Executive of the Prison Service – he is no longer permitted to sign documents like the fatally flawed Reliance prisoner transport contract – we may see a faster pace driven by her need to sort things out well before the next Scottish Parliament elections.

The last prison estates review recommended closure for Peterhead and was defeated by our community.

This time I am confident that they will not dare propose that again.

Our prison is firmly established in the future of the Scottish Prison Service.