How the Government could fix the dental crisis

SIR – The present NHS dental contract has all but killed off NHS dentistry in this country (“Queue that shows the state of NHS dentistry”, report, February 6). It provides a cap on the Government’s NHS dental cost, but it is grossly unfair and actively discourages dentists from taking on new NHS patients.

A return to the previous fee-peritem contract and the freedom to set up a new NHS practice without needing an NHS dental contract would very quickly improve the situation.

Unfortunately this is unlikely to happen, as it would require a huge increase in NHS dental funding.

Peter Rosie BDS

Ringwood, Hampshire

SIR – When I received the diagnosis of a faulty heart valve last September, I felt the same sense of dread about having to deal with the NHS that Tim Stanley did (“What my operation taught me about ‘our’ NHS”, Comment, February 5).

Like him, I can testify to the kindness and attentiveness of the NHS staff involved. I am currently on an “urgent” waiting list for heart surgery. If this is the “tenderness” the article mentions, then the “horror” of the NHS is in its dysfunctional communication and administration. I waited 35 days before a helpful prescription was issued and it was nearly seven weeks before I had a scan.

After I raised a concern through the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (Pals), the explanation given was that the two health trusts I am dealing with have different computer systems. In addition, hospital secretaries are overburdened with “signing off ” clinic letters, reports and test results.

There is frequent mention of the scandal of waiting lists and inefficiency in the NHS, but I believe the main issue of poor, delayed communication between patients, hospital departments and surgeries is largely under-reported. Graham Brownridge

Scarborough, North Yorkshire

SIR – What a wonderful article by Tim Stanley. He sums up what many of us feel about the NHS but couldn’t have put into words: “Great at care, terrible at managing it.”

That says it all. Thank you, Mr Stanley, for pointing it out.

Judy Davies Tenby, Pembrokeshire