Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Accepted
Significant funds recovered from dental contracts due to under-delivered care.
Conclusion
The NAO report reflects this last point, finding that in 2022–23 £479 million was recovered from dental contracts where practices had not delivered the full amount of care that they had been contracted for.17
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the committee's observation by explaining that funding is recovered from dental contracts due to practices reducing commitments, ICBs reallocating funds from under-performing contractors, or reclaiming payment for undelivered activity, all of which supports access and value for money.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4.11 Where there have been changes to individual practice funding levels this will have been because of either: • practices asking to reduce their NHS commitment, or • ICBs taking steps to release monies from persistently under-delivering contractors to enable these monies to be used to buy care from providers who can deliver. 4.12 Cash reductions could also be possible where ICBs are recovering funding paid for activity which was not delivered in the previous year. All these scenarios support access to dental treatment and best value for public money.