Watchdog highlights dental access issues across Yorkshire and the Humber
Healthwatch York has raised concerns over dental access issues after researchers found that no NHS practices in the region are offering appointments for routine care.
A survey conducted by the group revealed that practices are not offering NHS treatment for new patients or providing appointments for routine services.
Some of the practices contacted by the research team offered the option to join a waiting list and there was also a choice to pay for private care. Some clinics that offered private appointments were able to see patients immediately.
In 2020, complaints to the watchdog about dental services rose by 454%, with access to care the most common problem. One patient who contacted Healthwatch was told they could have to wait five years to see a dentist in York.
Another issue patients faced was being removed from NHS practice lists due to clinics going private.
Healthwatch York teams have been in contact with colleagues across Yorkshire and the Humber and discovered similar issues.
All of the organisations covering the region reported that no practices were accepting new NHS patients and only one practice was offering NHS appointments and those were reserved for patients in need of urgent care.
Dental teams across the UK are under immense pressure, with the demand for treatment outweighing the supply due to dentist shortages, staff isolating and restrictions on patient numbers to reduce risks of Covid-19 transmission.
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