Number of children waiting 6 months for a dental procedure increases, NHS data confirms
The number of children waiting at last 6 months for a dental procedure has increased, according to new NHS data.
New figures from more than 30 NHS trusts show that the number of children waiting six months for dental surgery has increased by over 50 percent in the last three years. The number of children on the waiting list also rose by 15 percent between 2015 and 2017.
Statistics showed that the longest waiting times were in Bath, where children waited 253 days on average.
The statistics were obtained by the Labour Party via a freedom of information request. Jon Ashworth, shadow health minister, described the situation as “completely unacceptable” and said that more needs to be done to ensure that children who need treatment aren’t forced to wait for months and endure “agony.”
Responses from more than thirty NHS trusts show that there were over 13,500 children on waiting lists for dental treatment in hospitals in 2017. This is a significant increase from 11,806 in 2015. The number of children who waited for more than 6 months for treatment increased by 52 percent to 1,498. The average wait for treatment was 85 days, 15 days longer than in 2013.
In light of the findings, the Labour Party has called for increased investment in children’s oral health.
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