Welsh residents facing long trips to see an NHS dentist
Patients in parts of Wales are travelling up to 100 miles to see their dentist, according to recent statistics.
The situation is worse in the north of the country, where some patients are facing 100 mile round trips to see an NHS dentist. Residents from Bangor are being forced to make the 50 mile trip to Dolgellau if they want to see an NHS dentist, while people living on Anglesey are travelling to Colwyn Bay or Llandudno for treatment as no NHS dentists on the island are currently accepting new NHS patients.
The current situation in North Wales is undoubtedly detrimental to patient’s oral health, with many finding the journey too much of a logistical nightmare and subsequently going without the treatment; for those that don’t drive and the elderly, the thought of having to rely on public transport for such lengthy journeys is not particularly attractive.
In addition to the lengthy travel times, patients are also being faced with a possible wait for treatment, due to the shortage of staff in relation to the demand for appointments; some patients are waiting up to five months. Residents are also angry about the changes that have been made to the emergency dental care system; patients now have to be assessed via the telephone before being given an emergency appointment.
Politicians and patient groups have reacted angrily to the worsening situation in some parts of Wales, with many calling for more to be done to help people from underserviced areas. In contrast to parts of the North and East, NHS provision in most parts of the South and West of Wales is getting better all the time, with most patients enjoying a good standard of service without having to travel long distances.
Health ministers and government representatives have vowed to try and resolve the situation as quickly as possible and will invest money into levelling the playing field; Anglesey is a particular concern because presently, thousands of residents do not have access to an NHS dentist and places in nearby towns are very limited. Health minister, Edwina Hart, recognises the need for improvements in the area and will work to allow people across North and East Wales greater access to NHS dental care provision.
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