Severing of ties with NHS by dentists ‘leaves patients with no other options’
THOUSANDS of high street dentists in England are “severing ties” with the NHS, which could leave millions of patients “with no options”, leading dentists have warned.
The British Dental Association (BDA) said that if the current trend continues “this is how NHS dentistry will die”.
Access to NHS dentists is one of the main worries for patients, with many unable to get appointments or being forced to wait months for care.
The BDA said that since March 2020, some 3,000 dentists are understood to have moved away from NHS work entirely.
Most dentists provide a mixture of NHS and private dental care, but new figures suggest the balance could shift in favour of more private provision.
A new poll of 2,200 high street dentists in England found that 45 per cent have reduced their NHS commitment since the start of the pandemic. The figures, shared with the PA news agency, also found that 75 per cent are “likely” to reduce, or further reduce, their NHS commitment in the next 12 months.
Almost two thirds (65 per cent) have said their practice has unfilled vacancies, while 87 per cent said they have experienced symptoms of stress, burnout or other mental health problems in the last 12 months, according to the BDA poll. The professional body is calling for “radical and urgent” action from the Government to help struggling dentists.
In Burton and South Derbyshire, those seeking NHS dental care face a struggle to find a practice that can help them. At the High Street Dental Practice in Burton, a member of staff said NHS patients were no longer being accepted as the practice no longer had a contract with
the NHS. It is possible to find out on the NHS website practices that accept NHS patients, but there is very little available in the area.
Bupa Dental Care, in Tutbury, said it was accepting NHS patients under 18, but not adults. This was the same type of provision at BUPA Dental Care in Station Street, Burton. At Hill Street Dental Practice in Stapenhill, the message on the
NHS website was: “This dentist is not taking NHS patients at the moment,” and this was the same at Etwall Dental Practice, Dental Perfection @ Branston, in Burton Road, Branston, and Delph Dental Practice in Market Street, Swadlincote.
Finally, after some minutes scrolling down the web page, a dentist that IS accepting adult and children NHS patients is 16A Dental Care in High Street, Swadlincote.
The BDA said the NHS dental contract, which was initiated in 2006, puts “targets ahead of patient need, effectively setting a limit on the numbers of NHS treatments a dentist can do in a year”.
Shawn Charlwood, chairman of the association’s General Dental Practice Committee, said: “Overstretched and underfunded, thousands of dentists have already left the NHS, but many more have begun severing their ties. This is how NHS dentistry will die, a lingering decline that unchecked will leave millions of patients with no options.
“This Government has ensured many dentists cannot see a future in this service. Without urgent reform and adequate funding, there is little hope we can halt this exodus.”
The warning from the BDA comes as MPS on the Health and Social Care Committee are to examine issues in the sector at a meeting today.
This Government has ensured many dentists cannot see a future in this service.
Shawn Charlwood