The government has failed to offer any concrete plans to meet its goal of ‘accessible and available’ NHS dentistry.
This is according to the British Dental Association (BDA).
In her forward to the response to the Health and Social Care Committee’s inquiry published last week, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins stated the government’s ambition that ‘NHS dentistry should be accessible and available for all those who need it’.
Recruitment problems
The government accepted the majority of the committee recommendations in the report.
This included that practices should abide by NICE recall guidelines of up to two years for most adult patients, recognising the need for more regular recall for some, but people should not automatically be removed from dentists’ registers of NHS patients without good reason. This should be monitored by NHS England to ensure it is being carried out.
In an open letter, the BDA claims the government now has a responsibility to act. It adds that the current system of targets is driving severe recruitment and retention problems, and, as a result, an unprecedented access crisis.
However, the government rejected the model of care endorsed by the committee, that would break from targets and provide a prevention-focused system.
No evidence
The BDA also understands that a ‘recovery plan’ – which was first promised in April and remains unpublished – has faced blockages at the Treasury.
Shawn Charlwood, chair of the British Dental Association’s General Dental Practice Committee, said: ‘This report reads like the last rites for NHS dentistry, and patients and this profession deserve some honesty here.
‘The government say NHS dentistry should be accessible for all who need it. The plain facts are we’re not seeing any evidence of the reforms or the resources to realise that ambition.’
You can read the full letter here.
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