New report reveals dental spending patterns
A new report into NHS dentistry has revealed government spending per person is not consistent across the UK.
The study, which has been produced by the NHS Information Centre (IC), shows that the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority spent the most per head of population in 2005-06 at £50.
In contrast, Hampshire and Isle of Wight spent the least at £30 per head of population.
The figures show that for England, the amount spent on NHS dental services increased from £27 per head of the population to £39 between 1998 and 2006.
"NHS Expenditure for General Dental Services and Personal Dental Services England is a report that gives local-level information on expenditure in England on NHS primary dental care under the old dental contractual arrangements," states the IC.
An earlier study by the IC showed that more than 500,000 people across England have lost access to NHS dentistry since April 2006.
The IC works with more than 300 health and social care providers across the UK to provide the NHS with facts and figures.
