Yesterday in Parliament, Judith called on the new Health Secretary to take decisive action on improving access to NHS dentistry, saying the Government’s proposals do not go nearly far enough.
Making her first statement in the House of Commons today, Secretary of State Thérèse Coffey MP announced health reforms.
Questioning the Health Secretary in response to the statement, Judith asked:
“With 9 out of 10 dental practices in England not accepting new NHS patients and with over 2000 dentists leaving the NHS in the last year alone, NHS dentistry is in crisis. So whilst today’s small changes are welcome, alongside the minor tweaks back in July, they are underwhelming given the scale of the crisis. So when will the Secretary of State make full contract reform, with prevention at its heart, so that my constituents can access an NHS dentist when they need to?”
Responding, Thérèse Coffey MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care said: “Well, the honourable lady is absolutely right and I completely agree with her – it is a real problem. We have started doing some changes already and we need to do that in more detail right across the country. My honourable friend the minister will be looking at that more intensely.”
Judith has sent a cross-party letter including 60 other MPs to the new Prime Minister Liz Truss, warning that NHS dentistry is on ‘life support’ and calling for proper resources and reform to halt what the British Dental Association have called NHS Dentistry’s ‘slow death’.
Speaking afterwards, Judith said: “While I’m glad the new Secretary says she ‘absolutely’ agrees with me, today’s announcements do very little to solve the problem. 98% of dentists in Bradford are closed to NHS patients. There is no point the government publishing that information online, if they’re doing nothing to improve the availability of appointments in the first place, or ensuring that NHS dentists stay in the NHS.
“Minister after Minister has promised to fix this and none have delivered. This needs decisive reform, not the minor tweaks announced, to save NHS dentistry from collapse and make sure people across Bradford can get an NHS dentist when they need them.”
“My constituents in Bradford South have waited long enough and the Government’s ambition does not match the scale of the task. This needs more than words and promises, it needs action.”
https://twitter.com/JudithCummins/status/1573227244167757824
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