NHS Dental Care Services 2022-06-14
2022-06-14
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
▸
Context
Weston-super-Mare faces significant challenges in accessing NHS dental care, with a backlog exacerbated by the pandemic.
What steps is the Minister taking to improve the availability of and access to routine NHS dental care services in (a) Weston-super-Mare constituency and (b) England?
The best way to improve access to NHS dental services nationally is through reforms of the NHS dental contract, which will aim to pay dentists more fairly for their work. In Weston-super-Mare, a number of measures are taking place in Somerset, including a nurse-led dental helpline to open up available appointments.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
▸
Context
Despite the pandemic, access to NHS dentistry is a critical issue with significant backlogs and inequalities.
Even before the pandemic, the NHS commissioned enough dentistry to cover only about half the population of England. Since then, backlogs have increased, making dentistry the No. 1 problem raised with Healthwatch. Four in five people cannot find timely care. How quickly can contract reform be fixed?
Negotiations have started and the details are with the British Dental Association. We expect to make an announcement before the summer recess.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
▸
Context
Distressing cases of lack of access to timely NHS dentistry have been raised, indicating a need for clear measures in the near future.
There has never been the right package to pay dentists to do work, driving them out of business. Inefficiencies are costing taxpayers dear. When will proper certainty around contract reform be given so that dentists know it is worth sticking with NHS patients?
The contract is a perverse disincentive for dentists to take on NHS work. We are serious about reforming it and expect to make an announcement before the summer recess.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
▸
Context
In areas with a dearth of dentists, the recruitment challenge must be addressed.
Can the Minister speak about the recruitment challenge to meet when contract reform comes through?
We are working with Health Education England on centres for dental development to train more dentists in coastal and rural areas. We also look at how we can reform the overseas dentist policy, possibly bringing legislation towards the end of the year.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
▸
Context
A constituent waited two years for an appointment, during which time several rotten teeth had to be removed.
In areas like mine, people wait up to two years for appointments. With routine appointments not available during the pandemic, when will there be proper certainty about measures?
During the pandemic, only urgent appointments were available due to aspiration procedures. We now enable 95% of usual activity and will soon be at 100%, but there is still a backlog.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
▸
Context
A review has been promised for many years regarding concerns about the units of dental activity (UDA) system.
Like colleagues, I have many constituents struggling to access an NHS dentist. The UDA system is not working for dentists or patients. Can my hon. Friend update me on when it might take place?
There is a perverse disincentive in the current contract under the UDA system, as dentists are not paid based on level of activity. We are in discussions with the British Dental Association and hope to have news very soon.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
▸
Context
Members across the House have been calling on the Minister to fix the crisis in NHS dentistry.
Members across the House are calling on the Minister to fix the crisis, but she seems intent on burying her head in the sand. The Government has no plan and the Minister is running scared from even talking to dentists at a conference last week. Does the Minister agree that the people of Wakefield should bear this in mind next Thursday?
The Labour dental contract put in place in 2006 is causing problems. If the hon. Lady were to meet with dentists, she would hear that the current system causes issues. We will be announcing changes before the summer recess.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Agreement or disagreement with criticism of lack of action
Blaming Previous Government Policy
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
▸
Context
The Government announced £50 million to create new dentistry appointments, but zero new appointments were created in the questioner's constituency despite local practices being contacted. The questioner has not received an answer to a previous inquiry.
At the start of this year the Government announced £50 million to create some new dentistry appointments, but that money resulted in exactly zero new appointments in my constituency. I wrote to every single dental practice in my constituency and they said that was because the funding offer was too limited in scope and time and they were given only a week to reply. On 25 April, I wrote to the Minister asking how many appointments had been created from this money across England and where that money had gone. I have not received an answer. Will we get one today?
I am very disappointed: that £50 million of funding was for dentistry to access and be able to afford more appointments, and if local commissioners in an area did not bid for that money or ask dentists to take that money on, that is extremely disappointing—those in other parts of the country certainly did. We are putting £3 billion a year into dentistry. Local MPs have a role to play in this: if there was a problem, I would have expected the hon. Lady to have come and seen me before now to lobby for more funding for her local area.
▸
Assessment & feedback
The answer does not provide specific information on how many appointments were created or where the £50 million was allocated.
Disappointment Without Addressing Specifics
Redirecting Responsibility To Local Mps
Response accuracy