Ministers ‘running out of time’ on dentist reform
The government is running out of time to implement its ambitious programme of reform of NHS dentistry, an influential committee of MPs warns today.
The public accounts committee questions whether, in postponing implementation of reform until April 2006, there is enough time to acquire sufficient resources and capacity to provide the extra 1,000 dentists thought to be required in the UK.
Last week the government revealed proposals to instigate three levels of payment for dental services rather than the existing 400, in an attempt to free up resources, and recommended that patients should only be recalled according to clinical need.
But the chairman of the committee when the report was written, Edward Leigh, warns that “there is still much work to do” in bringing about the reform of NHS dentistry required.
The committee’s report found that while 12-year-old children in England have lower levels of dental decay than their European counterparts, there is a vast discrepancy between the comparative oral health of different parts of the country.
Children in some parts of northern England have on average about twice the levels of oral decay compared to children in other parts of the country, while adults in the north are twice as likely to have no natural teeth compared to adults in the south.
“Some details of the programme are finally starting to emerge – proposed patient charges were put out to consultation last week after a long delay – but time is fast running out to develop a system to which all parties can agree,” Mr Leigh said.
“Whether primary care trusts, given the responsibility of managing the new contractual arrangements, have enough time to acquire the right expertise and resources must also be open to question.
“These are far-reaching changes and there is still much work to do to reduce uncertainty and to win over a sceptical dental profession. If this fails, the department’s attempts to cure NHS dentistry may turn into something that seriously damages its health.”
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Steve Webb said today’s report showed how Labour had failed to reverse the long-term decline in NHS dentistry, with the prospects of finding an NHS dentists in some areas “rarer than hen’s teeth”.
“Particularly worrying is the large number of children who are not getting routine dental check ups, particularly in more deprived areas. Unless urgent action is taken, NHS dentistry will soon be a thing of the past. Sticking plasters are no longer enough, radical surgery is required,” he said.
