Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the National Health Service (General Dental Services) (Scot land) Regulations 1974 (“the principal Regulations”) which regulate the terms on which general dental services are provided under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978. The principal changes made by these Regulations are as follows.

Regulation 4 amends regulation 4A of the principal Regulations to provide that a Health Board may refuse an application by a dentist to have his name included in the dental list if the Board are not satisfied, following an inspection, that the proposed practice premises meet the requirements of the Regulations.

Regulation 5 amends regulation 6 of the principal Regulations and provides that in calcu lating a period of six months when a dentist has not practised there shall be disregarded periods during which the dentist was in the armed forces, was on maternity leave or was sick.

Regulation 7 inserts two new regulations (8A and 8B) into the principal Regulations. Regulation 8A provides for a Health Board to make provision for salaried dentists to provide emergency cover. Regulation 8B requires a Health Board to provide, as from 1st October 1992, patient information leaflets in respect of general dental services provided by salaried dentists.

Regulation 10 amends regulation 36 of the principal Regulations to increase by approxi mately twenty per cent the amounts payable to dentists who are suspended.

Regulation 11 makes various amendments to Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations, including an amendment whereby salaried dentists are permitted to mix general dental services and private care and treatment.

Regulation 12 inserts a new Schedule 1E in the principal Regulations concerning patient information leaflets on salaried dentists.