Dental travel shame

P

ATIENTS needing dental treatment are right to be angry at having to travel almost 100 miles to get the help they need.

It is truly worrying that new NHS analysis has revealed that around 7,000 patients have to make a round trip of at least 60 miles, while people in Aberystwyth in Wales face journeys of 88 miles.

The UK government in England and Welsh government in Cardiff (which is in charge of this woeful state of affairs in Wales) need to look at how resources are distributed and how best to get health provision to different parts of the country.

Dental treatment should not be seen as a luxury extra. It is a vital part of maintaining people’s health and quality of life.