Government's dentistry plans fall far short, top Yorkshire dentist says

However, in interviews yesterday she repeatedly failed to say whether it was new spending, or if it was being funded by a £400 million underspend in last year’s dentistry budget. She also declined to comment on BDA figures which show £1 billion a year had been taken out of budgets in real terms since 2010.

John Milne is the President of BDA and retired as a practising dentist last year following 40 years of service in the Wakefield area.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post he said: “The overall picture of NHS dentistry is that it's inadequately resourced.

“Currently only about 50 per cent of the population in England are able to access NHS dental care. Can you imagine what the public would say if only 50 per cent of the public were able to see a doctor?

“It's shameful that we've had people queuing for NHS dental care in Bristol and there have been similar queues in other parts of the country.”

The past three days have seen mile-long queues, marshalled by police, with patients hoping to sign up to a new NHS dentist practice.

Among the announcements yesterday was targeted funding for areas without NHS dentists.

Dr Milne continued: “There are some incentive payments that the government is talking about making. I don't think it's clear which areas they’re likely to be (for) but I imagine it's likely to be the rural and coastal areas and won't encompass the cities of Yorkshire where there is still a great deal of need for care.

“The problem is a national one, so a national solution is needed. The BDA feels a completely reformed national dental contract is necessary to help relieve the situation but that itself also depends on the ambition of any government we've got.

“All of the stuff that the government has announced today falls a long way short of a reformed dental contract.

“It's upsetting to see people resorting to DIY dentistry, it's upsetting to see people being admitted to hospital with life-threatening sepsis because of dental infections where they can't access NHS care, it's staggering that UK citizens and refugees are going to Ukraine to get dental care.

“The system needs to be properly funded and a system needs to be designed that works for the whole of the population, not 50 per cent of it.

“It's hard to see the ambition to deliver NHS care that meets the needs of the population.

“So these tweaks that are being put forward some of them may be helpful, but is it enough? I don't think so.”

The Health and Social Care Secretary yesterday was asked about shadow health secretary Wes Streeting’s claim that there was a £400 million underspend on NHS dentistry last year.

She told BBC Breakfast that the Government’s plan is backed by “an additional £200 million”.

Ms Atkins evaded repeated questioning on whether that is coming from an NHS dentistry budget that is far lower than it was 10 years ago, saying: “The budget is £3 billion. We are spending more on the NHS than we ever have.”

In the Commons, the Health Secretary told MPs that the benefits of the plan would begin to be felt from the start of next month.

Asked by Conservative MP Bob Seely (Isle of Wight) when his constituents might feel the plan’s impact, Ms Atkins said: “March 1, that is when the new patient premium comes into force.

“There are other aspects that will take a little bit longer, but we are very clear as to the immediate term benefits, we want to get those out as quickly as possible.”