Over 10% of NHS 111 calls in the North East now linked to dental issues
More than 10% of NHS 111 calls in the North East now relate to dental health issues.
The statistics, which were revealed at a recent Tees Valley health scrutiny committee meeting, suggest that 11% of calls taken by the service are directly linked to dental problems. The rise in calls correlates with a growing number of people struggling to access NHS dental services.
Mark Cotton, from the North East Ambulance Service, said that the service has doubled the number of urgent dental appointments available to patients, but local MP Matt Vickers, called for more funding immediately.
Mr Vickers, the MP for Stockton South, said that extra funding of £50 million to provide 350,000 additional dental appointments nationally represents a “drop in the ocean” and more needs to be done to provide patients with the care they need.
Access issues have been exacerbated by the pandemic, and patients in most parts of the country are now finding it difficult to get appointments with an NHS dentist. Many practices are still prioritising urgent cases, some have switched to private dentistry and some have removed patients who haven’t attended since the beginning of the Covid crisis.
As patients struggle to get appointments, a growing number are resorting to other NHS services, including contacting their GP, calling NHS 111 and going to Accident and Emergency departments.
The problem patients have is that GPs and emergency departments can only provide temporary relief for pain or infections, rather than treating the underlying cause of dental issues.
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