BBC investigation reveals ‘full extent of NHS dentistry shortage’
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 8th August 2022
NHS dentistry reforms may be on the way, but according to the BBC, “patients face ‘unprecedented’ difficulties”. The broadcasting corporation’s research, published today, found that “nine in 10 NHS dental practices across the UK are not accepting new adult patients for treatment under the health service” and that “no dentists taking on adult NHS patients could be found in a third of the UK’s top-tier councils”.
In addition, the extensive report found that:
- Eight out of 10 NHS practices are not taking on children
- The problem is worse in the south-west of England, Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West, where 98% of practices are not accepting new adult NHS patients
- Access is currently best in London, as almost a quarter of practices were accepting new adult NHS patients when the BBC was carrying out its investigation
- One in 10 local authorities do not have any practices taking on under-16s for NHS treatment even though children in full-time education being entitled to completely free care on the health service
- Approximately 200 practices said they would take on a child under the NHS only if a parent signed up as a private patient
- Scotland has significantly better access to NHS dentistry for adults than the other UK nations, with 18% of practices taking on new health-service patients
- Wales, England and Northern Ireland, meanwhile, have similar rates of access, at 7%, 9% and 10% respectively
The British Dental Association echoed its sentiments that NHS dentistry was at a “tipping point” after a decade of under-investment.
“Access to NHS dentistry has been a problem ever since the health service was created. Free treatment ended in 1951, just three years after the NHS was formed, because it was deemed unaffordable,” said BBC Health Correspondent Nick Triggle. “Ever since, a subsidised system – where some patients pay towards the cost – has been in place.”
Nick Triggle continued to list the strong private dental market, “unpopular” NHS contract, austerity and the Covid-19 pandemic backlog as combining to cause more dentists to walk away from the service. “The numbers doing NHS work dropped by 10% last year,” he added. “It’s fair to say the difficulties patients are facing are unprecedented.”
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