Health minister agrees to take action to tackle dental access crisis in North Yorkshire
Health minister, Maria Caulfield, has agreed to take action to tackle the dental access crisis following pleas for urgent help from North Yorkshire MP, Kevin Hollinrake.
Mr Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, raised the issue of growing backlogs for treatment in a recent parliamentary debate. The pandemic has exacerbated existing issues and services provided an NHS dental practice, which shut in Helmsley in 2020, have still not been replaced.
After speaking with Ms Caulfield, Mr Hollinrake shared a positive update on social media. He said that Ms Caulfield has agreed to chase up commissioners in the area to try to increase capacity as quickly as possible and reduce waiting times.
Mr Hollinrake stressed that he had raised the subject several times in the last year and added that he was hopeful of good news in the future.
The Thirsk and Malton MP said that the Department of Health was aware of the situation in the constituency and the challenges posed to practices by the ongoing risk of Covid-19. Ministers will take these factors into consideration when reviewing local dental services and dental targets for NHS dental practices in England.
Mr Hollinrake is one of many MPs who have been calling for urgent help for dental practices and patients. Across the country, practices are terminating NHS contracts, dentists are switching to private dentistry and patients are waiting longer for treatment.
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