Lack of NHS dentistry in Sefton forcing children to pay for private treatment, says councillor

Three Year Olds Told to Sign On as Private Patients

Following this week's debate in parliament over the state of NHS dentistry (1),  Sefton Councillor, John Pugh (Liberal Democrat)  has accused policy makers of living in a parallel universe. 

“The truth is that local NHS dentistry in Sefton, if not actually dead, is close to having its life support system switched off. “

Earlier this year a Healthwatch report established that no practice in Sefton will take on new patients with only four practices willing to take on children as NHS patients.  

“Matters have deteriorated since then and I know of cases now  in Sefton where although older children may have been registered, three year olds are only being taken on as private patients.” (2)

This is a huge backward step and an abandoning of the principles of NHS dentistry. The latest clinical guidance says that children even with healthy teeth should be seen by a dentist at least once a year. In a cost of living crisis that in many cases isn’t going to happen and the big losers will be the children of larger and poorer families. 

This is a huge step backwards to the 1930s. 

As it is our area (the north west) already has the second highest rate of tooth decay in the country. The situation threatens to get worse as 35% of new dentists registering to work in the NHS in recent years came from abroad- mostly Europe and it is getting harder for them to make the move to the UK.”

We are all to blame if we shrug off this issue because the price will be paid in children’s suffering and in many other ways.”

(1) Backbench debate on Health Select Committees Report on NHS Dentistry
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-04-27/debates/08EAE108-C921-4DF3-AC37-EBD54E0C8A6C/ReformsToNHSDentistry?highlight=dentists#contribution-64B1ECAA-F824-4717-B8AD-0F488585DAEC 

(2) https://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/documents/s113961/Appendix%20B%20Healthwatch%20Update.pdf