Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

NHS Dentistry: Rural Areas

05 November 2024 · 1 other contributor

Opened by Sarah Gibson Lib Dem Chippenham

NHS

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Sarah Gibson raised concerns about nhs dentistry: rural areas in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Sarah Gibson, MP for Chippenham, raised concerns about access to NHS dentistry in rural areas, citing data showing that 51,000 children in Wiltshire have not seen a dentist in the past year.
  • The local ICB's projected underspend for dentistry is 4.6 million, indicating financial challenges in providing dental care.
  • Stephen Kinnock acknowledged the NHS dentistry crisis in rural areas and highlighted initiatives such as the golden hello scheme offering up to 20,000 to 240 dentists working in underserved regions.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Sarah Gibson Lib Dem Chippenham

Sarah Gibson, MP for Chippenham, raised the issue of access to NHS dentistry in rural areas, focusing on the closure of Hathaway dental practice and its impact on her constituents. She cited data from the House of Commons Library indicating that 51,000 children in Wiltshire have not seen a dentist in the past year and noted that only 33% of adults under the NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire integrated care board had seen a dentist in two years. The local ICB's projected dentistry underspend is £4.6 million. She emphasised the challenges posed by lack of public transport in rural areas and highlighted disparities between urban and rural dental provision.

Other contributors (1)
  • Nusrat Ghani

    She allowed Sarah Gibson to take her time during her speech.

Government Response

Stephen Kinnock

Stephen Kinnock, MP for Aberafan Maesteg and a Labour representative, acknowledged the severity of the NHS dentistry crisis in rural areas. He highlighted the government's commitment to addressing the challenges inherited from the previous administration and outlined several initiatives including the golden hello scheme offering up to £20,000 to 240 dentists working in underserved regions. The minister also mentioned efforts to improve dental workforce retention through postgraduate bursaries, apprenticeships for international graduates, and measures such as supervised tooth brushing programmes targeting deprived communities. Kinnock committed to long-term reforms including the overhaul of the dental contract system, with an emphasis on preventive care and addressing disparities in access to NHS dentistry across different regions.

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