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60 practices in Scotland have been affected by the cap on the General Dental Practice Allowance (GDPA).

The cap was one element in a much wider settlement for 2013-14. In the last financial year, 2013-14, and the current 2014-15 financial year, item of service fees (including capitation) for independent dentists have increased by 2.51 per cent and 1.71 per cent respectively. This constitutes a cumulative increase of 4.26 per cent. The effect of the cap needs to be seen in the context of a significant award for independent dentists.

We are not aware of any negative impact on NHS patients as a direct result of the GDPA cap.

The number of practices affected by the cap on the General Dental Practice Allowance at £80,000, broken down as requested is:

(a) over 75% - 1

(b) over 80% - 4

(c) over 85% - 9

(d) over 90% - 14

(e) over 95% - 25

Regulation of the publication of payment records by businesses is reserved to the UK Government. A significant improvement in payment practice is required in the UK and I therefore welcome the provisions in the UK Government's Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill which allows regulations to be made to require businesses to report on payment policies and practices. It is important that the UK Government introduces strong regulations which will make a difference to companies suffering the consequences of late payment of debts and I have written to the UK business minister, Matthew Hancock MP, about this.

This is a matter for individual health boards. The information requested is not held centrally.

There are no current plans to follow NHS England by appointing a GP inspector.

The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) rewards contractors for the provision of quality care and helps to standardise improvements on the delivery of primary medical services and the contractor must co-operate fully with any reasonable inspection or review (including the health board’s QOF annual review) that the health board or another relevant statutory authority wishes to undertake in respect of the achievement points to which it says it is entitled.

This is a matter for individual health boards. The information requested is not held centrally.

How a practice responds to the withdrawal of its dispensing income is a decision for the practice partners. Configuring practice services and resources to deliver the general medical services required by its contract, and for which the practice continues to be funded, is for practice partners to manage.

Following the opening of a community pharmacy in an area, the NHS board will review whether there are exceptional circumstances, and take a decision on whether the GP practice is required to continue to dispense to some or all of its patients.

There is nothing explicit in the regulations to say that a dispensing GP practice must stop dispensing following the opening of a community pharmacy but the board will need to be satisfied that the criteria set out in the regulations is being met. If a health board makes a decision to remove dispensing rights from a GP practice, there is nothing to prevent a future reversal of that decision by the board provided they can identify a change of circumstances as set out in the regulations.

The Scottish Government has not requested this information in view of the small numbers of practices that have chosen not to participate.

As at 23 October 2014, 814 independent dental practices had signed up for the defibrillator scheme, and 29 had chosen not to participate.