Hundreds of children waiting to see a dentist in Powys
Almost 800 children are waiting to see a dentist in Powys, according to data obtained by the Welsh Liberal Democrats.
The figures, which were accessed via a freedom of information request, show that 794 children are currently on a waiting list. The party claims that a lack of NHS services is contributing to a future of poor health for children and young people in the county.
The Liberal Democrats suggested that there is now a ‘two-tier system,’ which means that patients on higher incomes can afford to go private and those who can’t afford private dentistry are left without access to dental care.
To speed up the process of seeing patients, the party has urged the Welsh Labour Party to take action, including allowing dental nurses and hygienists to provide a wider range of services and increasing funding in line with spending in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Members have also appealed for other health boards across Wales to monitor waiting lists, as currently, only Cardiff and Powys health boards have a record of how many children are waiting for treatment.
Liberal Democrat candidate for Brecon and Radnorshire, David Chadwick, branded the situation “a disgrace” and said that children in Powys are “left languishing on waiting lists potentially with rotting teeth or in pain.” He added that the Labour party needs to address the problem with “the highest urgency” and accused ministers of taking “our children for granted.”
Dental access issues are not limited to Powys. Patients across Wales have reported long waiting times and a lack of available NHS places for adults and children. There are also widespread issues in all other UK nations.
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