Stockton MP Speaks Out Against Dental Shake-Up Plans
A local MP has spoken out against plans to shake-up dental services on Teesside.
Stockton North MP, Alex Cunningham, has criticised plans to relocate specialist orthodontic services, despite a report supporting the proposed changes.
The planned shake-up will see orthodontic services, which are currently provided at hospitals in Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees, move to a new specialist orthodontic centre, which will be located in South Tees.
Mr Cunningham has spoken out against the proposals and claimed that young people will have to travel further to get the treatment they need. In response to his comments, The Tees Valley Health Scrutiny Joint Committee said that other alternatives had been considered but the new centre was the best way to provide specialist care for people in the region in the future.
Mr Cunningham said that he was hoping that the trust would preserve some local services in line with recommendations made by the committee. He criticised the planned shake-up because it seems that patients in the north of the region will be abandoned, but hoped the trust would follow the advice of the committee and try to recruit more specialist orthodontic staff.
Join this Discussion
