Government ‘has allowed dental service decay’

Bath MP Wera Hobhouse has criticised the Conservatives for failing to fix the fundamental problems within NHS dentistry as the government announced changes to NHS dental contracts that are expected to come into effect in the autumn.

The new plans have been criticised as doing little to stop the exodus of dentists from the service, or address the crisis in patient access.

The announcement includes plans to introduce a minimum payment that dentists receive for hitting a target - the Unit of Dental Activity - which will now be set at a minimum of £23.

Similarly, the plans include a higher reward for treating three or more teeth, a new payment rate for complex treatment and a greater role for dental therapists.

The moves have been criticised as piecemeal and barely scratching the surface of the crisis in NHS dentistry.

The British Dental Association has stressed that the changes, alongside no new investment, show the limits of what can be achieved for patients without any new funding from the Treasury.

Ms Hobhouse said: “These changes barely even scratch the surface and will not fix the decaying foundations that NHS dentistry is built on.

“There is no new investment here. Funding for NHS dentistry has been neglected by this government for years. We are now seeing the damaging results for the public and dental professionals.

“The lack of NHS dentists, both across the country and here in Bath, is a huge crisis for people.

“The Conservatives talk a good game about the NHS, but the fact that they are leaving so many people without access to a dentist shows just how little they care about our nation’s health.”