113.In section 17AA of the 1978 Act new wording is substituted to make provision regarding certain arrangements between dentists and Health Boards. This will facilitate the participation of dentists in co-management schemes whereby Health Boards may make arrangements with dentists to undertake functions complementary to the work of hospital departments.
114.In subsection (1) new wording is substituted to treat arrangements between a Health Board and persons on a dental list as NHS contracts. An NHS contract is an arrangement where disputes with respect to it or its proposed terms may be determined by the Scottish Ministers. New wording is inserted at subsection (3) to define a dental list and repeal the otiose reference to pharmaceutical list. Subsection (3)(b) repeals the reference to pharmaceutical lists; the reference to pharmaceutical lists at subsection (1) of section 17AA is also repealed. These are because the provisions in Part 3 of the Act introduce new contract arrangements for the provision of pharmaceutical care services which, at new section 17V, provide for the service contracts in certain circumstances are to be classed as NHS Contracts. Section 17AA currently makes a similar provision and is, therefore, redundant.