The Health and Social Care’s Business Services Organisation (BSO) has today published its Family Practitioner Services General Dental Statistics for Northern Ireland 2021/22.

This National Statistics report contains high level summary information on activity and payments in relation to General Dental Services. Information is provided at NI level with further breakdowns presented at both Local Commissioning Group (LCG) and Local Government District (LGD) level.

The publication is available on the Business Services Organisation’s website at www.hscbusiness.hscni.net/services/3173.htm

From March 2020, General Dental Services were significantly restricted with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. This had a major impact on GDS Items of Service (IOS) activity levels and the number of patients seen over the last two financial years. As such individual contractors were provided Financial Support Scheme (FSS) payments to stabilise their IOS payments in 2020/21 and 2021/22. The rebuilding of dental services commenced in phases from 8 June 2020. From 20 July 2020, routine dental care could be offered and Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGPs) provided in general dental practice.

The key points from the 2021/22 report are: