Dentist slams changes to elderly dental care in Wales
A dentist from South Wales has reacted angrily to planned changes to the provision of dental care to the elderly and unwell.
Alan Young, from AG Young in Cross Hands, South Wales, has been providing bedside dental care for elderly patients in Carmarthenshire over the course of the last two years; he is one of six independent dentists offering the service.
On Tuesday it was announced that funding for the dentists would be cut and the community dental service will take over instead. Mr Young said many of his elderly patients were already facing an uncertain future, as there is a possibility that some care homes in the area will close and the change in dental provision was just another ‘kick in the teeth’.
Mr Young said he had closed a practice in order to carry out the service twice a week and was hugely disappointed with the decision to stop the programme; he claimed he has built an excellent, trusting relationship with his patients and now fears for their health.
Bernadine Rees, from the Hywel Dda Health Board, assured elderly people that they would not lose out as a result of the change; patients will continue to receive care in their care homes and the only change will be the provider. The community dental service will replace independent dentists. Ms Rees said the decision had been taken in light of a thorough review of the current service; the new system will ensure long-term, high quality care in the care home setting.
Mr Young said that the Health Board had not taken time to talk to care home managers and participating dentists about the sudden change; he claims that many care home managers were unaware of the imminent change and said that dentists were not given enough notice. Mr Young is now trying to fit in one last round of visits.
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