NHS dental patient numbers increase in Derbyshire
Statistics released by the NHS Information Centre have revealed a significant increase in the number of patients seeing a dentist in Derbyshire.
The figures showed that the proportion of people visiting an NHS dentist in the county rose from 55 percent in June 2008 to 60 percent in June 2010. The rise in patient numbers is thought to be linked to the increase in the total of NHS dentists in the region; the amount of dentists per 100,000 people in Derby increased from forty-six in April 2009 to fifty-one in April this year and figures show that numbers also increased from fifty to fifty-two across the rest of the county.
Over the course of the last 18 months, local NHS trusts have invested a significant sum of money into dental services in the county; six new dentists have opened in Derby, with the total of NHS dental surgeries now at thirty-seven and new practices have also opened in Ashbourne, Shirebrook and Staveley. Money has also been used to improve existing services and forty-four practices across the county now offer emergency dental services.
Andrew Dale, secretary of the Derby Local Dental Committee said he was delighted with the improvements in dental services across the county and now feels that there are enough NHS dentists to cater for those in the area. Not long ago, he criticised NHS Derby City for letting patients down and failing to meet targets; however, he admits that the money has been used effectively and the trust has turned the situation around.
The NHS Information Centre figures also revealed that dentists in the East Midlands were amongst the highest earners, with an average wage of £71,500 per year in comparison to a national average of £67,800.
Join this Discussion