Question reference: S6W-27205
- Asked by: Dr. Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 2 May 2024 Registered interest
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Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 May 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Public Health Scotland having changed its dental activity data publication format such that new indicators reportedly cannot be equated with previous releases, how it is possible to compare current dental activity with previous activity levels and evaluate how far is left to go in attaining and surpassing pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels of dentistry provision.
Answer
The new publication format from Public Health Scotland is experimental and will continue to develop as the new Payments Model beds in.
The new publications draw from the revised Statement of Dental Remuneration (SDR) which sets out 45 comprehensive care and treatment activities from 1 November, as opposed to the previous SDR which was input-focused and included over 700 individual item codes. In reforming the SDR to focus on comprehensive care and treatment activities, we have also ensured that the overall model of care is predicated on being patient-centric and responsive to individual need and risk.
While we are therefore still able to draw broad comparisons on activity reported for clinical treatments pre- and post-pandemic, given the significant change to the basis on which raw data is collected, it is not appropriate for the two data-sets to be presented as equivalent in statistical reporting and comparisons drawn must be treated with appropriate caution. While broad comparisons are useful for providing indicative metrics on sector capacity pre- and post-pandemic, our focus is to ensure that all activity is of clinical value and appropriate to the patient's need.