FOI/202600521936 · FOI · unclear
Progress update on dental governance gap: FOI release
Information requested
1. Has the issue of practice-level governance in mixed NHS/private dental practices remained on the work programme of the Office of the Chief Dental Officer since 1 January 2026?
Please answer yes or no.
2. Has any formal process, working group, task-and-finish group, or equivalent governance structure been established or designated since 1 January 2026 to examine or address this governance gap?
Please answer yes or no.
If yes, please state:
a) the date it was established or designated, and
b) the name and job title of the Senior Responsible Owner.
If no such dedicated structure exists, please confirm through which existing workstream or governance structure this issue is currently being taken forward, and name the current Senior Responsible Owner.
3. Does this issue remain on the Primary Care Assurance Board risk register?
Please answer yes or no.
If yes, please provide:
a) the most recent risk rating (e.g. red, amber, green), and
b) the date of the most recent review or update of this risk.
4. Since 1 January 2026, has any formal decision or recommendation been recorded within the Office of the Chief Dental Officer regarding named accountability or a patient-facing escalation pathway?
Please answer yes or no. If yes, please provide:
a) the date and document reference of that record,
b) the current status of the work, and
c) what specific outputs or deliverables are expected to be produced, including any recorded target dates.
If no such record exists, please confirm this explicitly.
5. Since 1 January 2026, has any formal position or recommendation been recorded regarding legislative or regulatory options to address the acknowledged gap in practice-level governance for mixed NHS/private dental practices (for example, extending the remit of Healthcare Improvement Scotland, creating a new oversight mechanism, or amending existing regulations)?
Please answer yes or no.
If yes, please provide:
a) a brief summary of the options considered, and
b) the current status of this work.
If no such record exists, please confirm this explicitly.
6. Since 1 January 2026, has the Office of the Chief Dental Officer formally engaged with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, the General Dental Council, or any NHS Boards regarding this governance gap?
Please answer yes or no.
If yes, please list the organisations engaged and the dates of any meetings or significant correspondence.
7. Has any indicative timetable, target date, or expected timeframe been formally recorded for resolving or significantly progressing the acknowledged gap?
Please answer yes or no.
If yes, please provide:
a) the date the timetable was recorded,
b) the document reference or minute ID, and
c) the expected date or timeframe and target outcome.
8. Since 1 January 2026, have any interim measures, guidance, or temporary arrangements been formally approved or recorded to protect patients in mixed NHS/private dental practices (particularly in rural and island communities) while the longer-term governance solution is developed?
Please answer yes or no.
If yes, please provide:
a) the date of approval or entry,
b) the document reference, and
c) a brief summary of the measures and which practices or areas they apply to.
If no such measures or record exists, please confirm this explicitly.
Date range: 1 January 2026 to the date of this request.
Response
The answer to your questions are :
1. Yes 2. No. Work is being undertaken through business as usual policy development in the office of the Chief Dental Officer, Gillian Leslie. 3. Yes. Amber. 18 June 2026 4. No 5. No 6. I refer you to the answer to question 4 in FOI 202600519115. 7. No 8. No
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Contact Please quote the FOI reference Central Correspondence Unit Email: contactus@gov.scot Phone: 0300 244 4000 The Scottish Government St Andrew's House Regent Road Edinburgh EH1 3DG
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