To ask the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to address morale among Health Service committed dental practitioners.

The impact of the pandemic on the practice of dentistry has been particularly severe and I am very grateful for the commitment of local dentists who have continued to provide an essential services under very difficult circumstances.

To help sustain General Dental Services (GDS) in the face of the impact of the pandemic, my Department provided £76m in financial support to independent General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) over the last 2 years.

Further funding was provided during the first half of 2022/23, with Item of Service (IoS) payments being enhanced by 25% as part of the Rebuilding Support Scheme (RSS), to reflect the ongoing pandemic pressures practices are facing. This support has been extended until the end of 2022/23 with a 10% enhancement on IoS payments. This is further investment, projected to be a further £2m, in a key service that has received significant support since the outset of the pandemic.

In addition, I have considered and accepted the recommendations made by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB) in their 50th report that would provide a 4.5% pay uplift to GDPs for 2022/23. Whilst elements of the pay uplift are outwith the control of the Department of Health, particularly this year, I will do everything I can to implement as soon as possible.

My Department continues to engage with the dental industry via the British Dental Association (BDA). In 2021 the Contract Reform Group was established to work with representatives from the BDA in a collaborative approach, to examine how to make improvements in the dental contract in the short and longer term to ensure that Health Service dentistry is sustainable and delivers for both patients and the profession.