The National Health Service (General Dental Services) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 2000

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the National Health Service (General Dental Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/177) (“the principal Regulations”), which provide for arrangements under which dentists provide general dental services as part of the National Health Service in Scotland.

Regulation 2 amends regulation 2 of the principal Regulations (interpretation) to insert a new definition of “practice record form” and add to the definition of “vocational training”.

Regulation 3 amends the Table set out in regulation 22 of the principal Regulations (statement of dental remuneration) to add a new matter, namely “commitment payments”, to the list of matters on which Scottish Ministers shall make provision in a determination published in the Statement of Dental Remuneration.

Regulation 4 amends regulation 23 of the principal Regulations (approval of payments) to make a consequential amendment in relation to payments to dentists, following the amendment made by regulation 3 of these Regulations.

Regulation 5 amends Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations which contains dentists' terms of service. Regulation 5(2) amends the circumstances in which records must be produced for inspection under paragraph 25.

Regulation 5(3) amends paragraph 27, which deals with the completion of estimates to the Scottish Dental Practice Board (“the Board”) for approval of treatment. The amendment allows dentists to use computers to send estimates to the Board. It also provides that dentists who do use computers to send estimates must ensure that a practice record form is completed, that only a computer programme approved by the Board is used for the purpose and that certain information is included with the estimate.

Regulation 5(4) inserts a new paragraph 27A, which requires a dentist to ask to see evidence in support of a patient’s claim that he is entitled to exemption from, or remission of, dental charges and to record in his claim for remuneration when he does not see such evidence. It also requires a dentist to complete a form and obtain a signature from the patient, when he makes a claim for remuneration following his recall to his practice for an emergency outside usual practice hours.

Regulation 5(5) inserts a new paragraph 37A, which requires that a separate claim form be completed for treatment given by assistants.