Dental care

I read with interest that the SNP are making a manifesto promise to scrap NHS charges for dental care (Scotsman, 16 April) to ensure the “cost is not a barrier to accessing health care”.

Charges for NHS dental care were introduced very soon after the NHS was formed in 1948 and free NHS dental examination were introduced by Labour in Scotland. NHS dental care is highly regulated and the Scottish Government stipulates the treatment available, the patient cost and the provisos under which the

dentist can provide that care.

Whilst major strides have been made in the oral health of the nation over the last few decades the system is creaking and underfunded (by all governments).

Whilst the promise in the SNP manifesto on the face of it appears a laudable aspiration, in a post-pandemic world in full recession with the promise of no tax rises am I the only one to wonder where the finances as coming from, or is the £75m promised coming out of the popular robbing Peter to pay Paul chest?

In this situation what governments have done with great alacrity in the past is simply to alter the regulations and provisos and reduce the number of items available for NHS dental care. Unfortunately, government-funded NHS care provision is fiscally driven and not necessarily care driven and this form of subliminal clinical rationing of items available has existed in NHS dental care for generations.

This flagship headline seeking announcement requires major scrutiny as I fear without significant major investment and not a rearranging of the deck chairs on the Titanic fewer items will be available and only the patients will suffer. Caveat emptor.

TOM TIMMONS Fairmile Avenue, Edinburgh