Dental service views sought
HEALTHWATCH Halton has invited residents to give their views on dental services in the borough.
The independent organisation said that national surveys suggest that most patients who want an NHS dentist can make an appointment when they need one and are happy with the service they receive.
However, it said Healthwatch branches often hear comments not ● reflected in polling and that these have revealed a range of areas for improvement.
A spokesman for the Halton group said findings from 31 areas around the country have identified three key issues: problems accessing dental care, a lack of consistent guidance and information and difficulties making a complaint when things go wrong.
Healthwatch Halton said residents can give their views by taking part in a survey.
The spokesman said: “We believe everyone should be able to access good quality NHS dental services.
“However, as highlighted in the report, experiences people have shared with local Healthwatch show that there are still problems in some areas.
“We’d appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to take part in our latest survey and give your views on dental services in Halton.
“The information we gather will be fed back to NHS England to help identify any areas where there may be gaps in local services and to highlight any good practice taking place.”
Take part in the survey at http://bit.ly/hwhdent