NHS dentistry “left behind”
Health service leaders have issued a reported saying NHS dentistry has been left behind.
The British Dental Association claims that the industry has failed to resolve access issues despite the strides made by hospitals and GPs.
The government attempted to remedy the issue in 2006 when it introduced measures aimed at enticing more dentists into NHS work.
BBC News reports that Professor Chris Drinkwater, report author, said the service does not know who needs a dentist but can’t get one and that without this information the service can’t target people.
The 2006 enticement contract made little impact and within two years of the system being in place one million fewer patients were seeing an NHS dentist.
The government has now agreed another NHS dental system reform. It has been based on a review conducted by independent experts and aims to link income to the number of NHS patients registered with a practice.
While the welcoming the move, the BDA said dentists need help to reach out to people in local communities.
Currently around half of the UK do not access NHS dental care but it is not clear whether people are simply going without treatment or are receiving it from private dentists.
Professor Drinkwater, a Northumbria University health policy expert, claimed that dentistry was not made a “high priority” by the NHS.
The Prof’s report suggests that local health managers hold the keys to a solution as they could compile data of those that need support to access care and those in desperate need of treatment. GPs carryout such surveys.
Dr Susie Sanderson, chairman of the BDA’s executive board, claimed that the BDA report should complement the piloted changes and added that dentists, the government, and the commissioners of care needed to work together.
But a Department of Health spokesman said improvements were being made as funds were being invested. He added that the tide was turning for NHS dentistry as access has begun to steadily increase.
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