Additional funding of up to £5 million is available to NHS dentists across North Ayrshire and Scotland to help remobilise services as the country recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.
This new funding will help NHS dental practices to purchase, renew or upgrade ventilation equipment as improved ventilation in surgeries can substantially reduce the time between seeing patients, and offer dental teams the opportunity to see more patients safely.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf MSP said:
“The remobilisation of the NHS is one of our number one priorities and the SNP Government remains committed to ensuring that NHS dental services emerge from this pandemic well-placed to care for the oral health of the population.
“This new funding is an important step in ensuring the continued remobilisation of NHS dental services and to ensure more patients can happens safely. We will also continue to fund free PPE for the dental sector and, from July, we will increase it by up to 50%.”
Kenneth Gibson MSP added:
“The SNP Government understands the importance of dental care and of supporting the dental profession.
“This is why the SNP Government within 100 days of being re-elected, is abolishing NHS dental charges for care experienced young people as the first step of removing them for everyone.
“This is also why bursaries of up to £6,750 have been offered to dental students who had to repeat a year, having been unable to gain sufficient clinical experience of aerosol generating procedures due to COVID restrictions.
“Everyone is keen to get back to the dentist and I am pleased that with this funding, ventilators can be purchased more easily and more NHS appointments can be carried out.”
Funding will be available throughout this financial year. In North Ayrshire this be distributed by NHS Ayrshire & Arran to those practices meeting the scheme’s conditions. Claims can be made for the period 01 April 2020 to 31 March 2022. Further details of the scheme and how to apply will be provided to the dental sector by separate circular issued by the office of the Chief Dental Officer.
Earlier this month Mr Yousaf confirmed financial support required to continue the delivery of free PPE to Primary Care contractors until the end of this financial year to support the continuing remobilisation of NHS services.
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