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WQ.309/2021
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 21st JUNE 2021 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 28th JUNE 2021
Question
Will the Minister advise what specific actions, if any, her department has taken to improve the dental services provision to children and young people since the last review of such services in 2015; and if no action has been taken, explain why not?
Answer
It is presumed that the department referred to in the question is the Customer and Local Services (CLS) Department. The CLS Department does not provide dental services to children and young people.
In 2015 the then Health and Social Services Department and the then Social Security Department undertook a joint review of dental services and benefits. The review identified weaknesses in governance and data.
Following on from that work a Dental Action Group was created, feeding into the Sustainable Primary Care project which in turn created the foundations for the current Jersey Care Model. Since 2015, and within the new HCS structure, the Primary, Prevention and Intermediate Care Group has responsibility for developing governance and for addressing the general dental care needs of children and young people. This restructure has improved leadership and focus. Investigations into improved information systems have been undertaken and will feed into the broader Health and Community Services IT strategy.
Work is currently underway to produce a Dental Strategy and a Preventative Model for Children's Dental Services – this is a commitment in the Government Plan. Additionally, a cross departmental group has reviewed the impact Covid-19 has had on accessibility to dental services and this group are in the process of identifying opportunities to take recovery action.