Teenage patient raises concerns over access to orthodontic treatment in Wales after waiting over 6 years for braces
A desperate dental patient from Llanbadarn, Wales, has contacted the BBC after waiting over six years for orthodontic treatment.
Thomas Kendell was 12 years old when he was told he needed braces, but more than six years later, he still hasn’t started treatment. Preparing to start university, Thomas is now desperate to get the treatment he needs, and he got in touch with BBC Wales to try and find out how many other people are in a similar situation and to see why access to services in the Carmarthen area seems to be so much poorer than in other parts of the country.
Speaking to BBC reporters, Thomas said that his 6-year wait is the longest he’s aware of, but he has many friends that have been on the waiting list for at least three years. As a member of the UK Youth Parliament, Thomas has raised the issue several times over the last few years, but so far, he hasn’t received a response from the Hywel Dda health board or the Welsh Government.
Although Thomas’ research has led him to believe that many areas across the UK are underserved when it comes to orthodontics, West Wales seems to be lagging behind. NHS provision used to be controlled by the central UK Dental Practice Board, but responsibility was devolved to Welsh health boards in 2006. At the same time as the boards assumed control, a spending cap was enforced, which regulated the amount of money that could be spent on orthodontic treatment each year. Orthodontic care should be available free of charge on the NHS for under 18’s who require treatment. Free treatment should also be covered for those who were referred for treatment before they turned 18.
Hywel Dda health board has been struggling to cope with demand for many years, and in 2014, there was a three-year waiting list that contained over 4,000 names. The funding cap has been relaxed to enable more young people to undergo treatment since then, but progress is slow, and patients like Thomas understandably feel aggrieved. Director of primary, community and long-term care, Jill Paterson, stressed that the board is working hard to clear backlogs and added that urgent and severe cases are prioritised, which means that some patients have a longer wait.
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