dentists pay

Dear Ms Widdup,

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your e-mail of today's date in which you have requested information under the Freedom of Information Act.

We are considering your request and you will receive a reply within 20 working days as stipulated by the Act.

Nicola Bourne
Complaints and Corporate Affairs Secretary
NHS Westminster
15 Marylebone Road
London NW1 5JD

Tel: 020 7150 8260
Fax: 020 7150 8262

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Dear Ms Widdup,

I am writing further to my acknowledgement letter on 16 September. I wish to apologise on behalf of the Trust, for the delay in providing the information you have requested.

You should receive a response by next week.

Yours sincerely

Nicola Bourne
Complaints and Corporate Affairs Secretary
NHS Westminster
15 Marylebone Road
London NW1 5JD

Tel: 020 7150 8260
Fax: 020 7150 8262

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Dear Ms Widdup,

I am writing in response to your request for information, which we have
previously acknowledged. I am sorry that I could not respond before now.

Please find the information you have requested below:

1. What is the total number of dentists in your area who have a
contract with the PCT to provide NHS services? How many practices
is this?

53 practices excluding orthodontists (37 dentists; 5 partnerships; 2
Corporate Bodies; 1 NHS Trust)

2. Please can I have details of the gross income (for the
last financial year 07/08) of each of the practices within your PCT
that provide NHS services?

We believe that by releasing this information, it is likely to affect the
viability of dental practices and impact on the ability to effectively
provide dental treatment to NHS patients in Westminster. This information
is therefore exempt under s. 40 (2) and (3a), Personal Information and
s.43, Commercial Interests, of the Freedom of Information Act.

3. Please also provide the amount
claimed in expenses for each practice according to their
self-assessment tax forms for the last financial year 07/08.

We do not have this information.

4. Please provide details of how many dentists are employed per
practice.

There are 137 dental performers employed by the 53 practices (excluding
orthodontists). This is based only on performers who are included on NHS
Westminster's Performers List. We would advise that you contact the
practices directly for this information. Details on the practices can be
found on the NHS Choices website [1]www.nhs.uk.

5. Can you also provide the same detail (including gross
income and expenses) per practice for the year 04/05 - the year
before the new NHS contract was introduced to improve access to
dental services?

Please see the response to question 2.

6. If available, please can I also have the total
number of "units" of dental activity and treatment carried out per
practice in the last financial year 07/08.

Please see the response to question 2.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, require any
further information or have any concerns about how we have handled your
request. If you would like to appeal our decision to withhold some of the
requested information, the following link provides information on how you
can go about doing so:
[2]http://www.westminster-pct.nhs.uk/contac....
Yours sincerely,

Nilusha Phigera
Complaints and Corporate Affairs Officer
NHS Westminster
15 Marylebone Road
London
NW1 5JD
T: 020 7150 8259
F: 020 7150 8262

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