Gordon Prentice - Pendle's Campaigning Labour MP
| Dentistry |
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Tags: Campaign | Dentistry | health care | NHS
| Written by Gordon Prentice |
| Friday, 28 May 2004 00:00 |
 NHS dentistry is a big problem in Pendle and elsewhere in East Lancashire. Dentists are not employed by the NHS - they contract with it. And they can opt out and go private if they wish. The photo shows the award winning NHS practice in Scotland Road, Nelson. This is NHS dentistry at its best.We are doing everything we can to give people the service they are entitled to expect. Contact my office in Carr Road for details. On 28 May 2004 I opened the new flagship Personal Dental Service clinic in Booth Street, Nelson which will serve people in Bradley and Whitefield wards. The clinic is a joint initiative of the Burnley Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust and Sure Start. Over the years there has been a huge improvement in dental health. In 1968, 37% of adults had no natural teeth. In 1998 it was 12% - and falling. These days, 80% of children have no fear about visiting the dentist. Despite the successes there are still huge inequalities and these have to be addressed. Children's dental health here among the worst in the country. NHS Dentistry a big issue. Never very far from the headlines. We remember the vivid TV pictures of people in Scarborough queuing up to register with a dentist. I have called East Lancashire a "dental desert". At NHS Direct - which covers the North West and is based in Preston - 20% of all calls are from people trying to find an NHS dentist. This compares with 7% for other English regions. And yet, since 1997 the number of dentists has risen by 10%. Where are they? And NHS dental spending has increased by 13% in real terms since 1997. Not everyone realises that dentists are self employed, independent contractors and they can accept as many or as few NHS patients as they wish. And they can change that commitment if they so wish. Dentists can, quite legally, accept only certain categories of patients such as children and adults exempt from patient charges. We need to attract new dentists to this area and keep those we have. We should offer "golden handcuffs and golden hellos" to dentists working for the NHS - just like the extra payments we make to NHS doctors in under doctored areas. The dentists say they want more time with their patients. They are fed up with drill and fill. They want to get off the treadmill. I agree. That is why the Government is negotiating a new contract with the dental profession which will be fair to everyone. Big changes are on the way which will make a difference. Primary Care Trusts, like our own in Pendle, will be responsible for local commissioning of NHS dentistry in April 2005. £1.5 billion is to be transferred to the PCTs nationwide. They won't be allowed to spend less than their allocations - but they can spend more if they wish. People in Pendle can see an NHS doctor within 48 hours. I want to see NHS dentistry given the prominence it deserves in the modern NHS. Getting a dentist shouldn't be like winning the National Lottery. |
| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 07 October 2008 17:15 ) |