Just one out of fifteen Dentists contacted is accepting New NHS Patients in East Anglia, an investigation by Adrian Ramsay MP, finds.
Just one out of fifteen Dentists contacted is accepting New NHS Patients in East Anglia, an investigation by Adrian Ramsay MP, finds.
East Anglia is one of England’s worst dental deserts, with practices reporting waiting lists of over 1,000 patients, four-year backlogs dating back to 2021, and one list stretching across 25 pages of A4.
Reacting to the investigation Adrian said
“It is a damning indictment of this Government that, two years into their term, access to dental care remains a postcode lottery. People are being left in pain, unable to access basic care they are entitled to. The investigation in East Anglia shows that we are one of the worst-hit regions in the country.
This has been ignored for far too long. It is unacceptable that successive governments have failed to get a grip on this crisis, and the people of East Anglia are paying the price.”
Nationally, nearly two-thirds of dentists in England listed as taking NHS patients are in reality not taking new NHS patients, with some areas a complete desert.
Getting an appointment on the NHS has become next to impossible in many areas highlighting the access crisis millions still face across the country, with tooth decay the most common reason children aged five to nine are admitted to hospital.
When Labour came to power, they pledged 700,000 new NHS urgent care appointments and to recruit new dentists for areas that needed them most. But a new investigation by Adrian, reveals that getting NHS treatment remains a postcode lottery, with some parts of the country left without any NHS options.
The investigation contacted a sample of 135 practices across England which were listed on the NHS website as accepting new adult patients.
The analysis revealed that 84 out of 135 (62.2%) are not currently able to accept new NHS patients. One stated its waiting list was “at least 25 pages of A4” while others talked of four-year backlogs.
The total number of clinics not taking on NHS patients will, in reality, be significantly higher, as many on the Government site are publicly listed as not accepting new NHS patients.
MyDentist runs more than 500 practices serving over four million patients. Yet, of the 44 listed on the NHS site as offering places, only four were accepting new NHS patients.
The findings come as the Government prepares to consult on a series of changes to the dental contract. However, these reforms are understood not to be backed by any new money, and there is concern the consultation might be delayed as a result of new leadership at DHSC.
The Green Party is calling on the Government to increase NHS Dentistry funding by at least £1.5 billion per year, a figure the British Dental Association (BDA) says would ensure everyone who wants an NHS dentist can access one.
Current government budgets allow only 40% of adults to access an NHS dentist within two years. The Party argues that unless funding for NHS dentistry keeps pace with rising costs and population growth, ending the dental access crisis will remain impossible.
Dentists are deeply concerned that the current psychodrama at Westminster has seen progress stall to save the struggling service.There is no sign of public consultation expected this summer, setting out the Government's ambitions on reform. Not a penny of new investment has been pledged, and the BDA has warned that there is now a material risk that Government promises to save NHS dentistry cannot be kept.
BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said:
“Labour came to power promising change, but the crisis facing millions is still with us.
“Warm words won’t give people the dental care they need. That will require real reform and sustainable funding.”
ENDS
