North West watchdog experiences six-fold increase in calls from dental patients
A patient watchdog in the North West has experienced a six-fold increase in the number of calls from people struggling to find a dentist or access local NHS services.
Healthwatch Greater Manchester received 102 calls related to dental issues between April 2019 and March 2020 but the number skyrocketed to over 650 in the same time period in 2020/2021.
A recent report compiled by the watchdog highlighted the challenges faced by local practices and NHS providers but insisted more had to be done to help patients. The demand for treatment is increasing and more and more patients are finding it impossible to get a dental appointment.
One 70-year-old caller in Bolton said they had contacted every practice in the town to try and see a dentist with no success. In the end, they were forced to go private, with the cost of treatment totalling £1,000.
The report called on the government to work with Healthwatch to provide better information for patients looking for dental services.
Representatives from Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership said that 92 urgent care centres were set up to ensure that patients had access to emergency dental care during the pandemic.
Dental teams are doing everything possible to try and see as many patients as is currently viable, but there are still restrictions in place that limit numbers, meaning that waiting times are much longer than usual.
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