I am very pleased to see the Government has recently published the NHS Dental Recovery Plan, as part of its long-term plan to improve access to NHS dentistry and deliver on the Prime Minister’s commitment to cut waiting lists.
Dentistry is an essential part of NHS healthcare, and everyone who needs it should be able to access NHS dentistry and receive treatment quickly.
The plan will address the series of challenges facing NHS dentistry which affect patients’ oral health and ability to access the care they need, as well as workforce recruitment and retention. The plan will deliver faster, simpler and fairer access to NHS dentistry.
Backed by £200 million of new Government funding, the NHS Dental Recovery Plan sets out a package of measures to deliver 2.5 million additional NHS dental appointments over the next 12 months, ensuring they are where they are needed most, and expanding preventative care for younger children to help reduce tooth decay.
To help improve access in the short term, new dental vans are being launched to help reach more isolated communities.
In the longer term, around 240 dentists will be offered one off payments of up to £20,000 for working in underserved areas for up to three years, helping to attract new NHS dentists and improve provision of care in areas with the highest demand.
Further measures include introducing a New Patient Premium payment to incentivise dentists to treat around a million new patients who have not seen an NHS dentist in two years or more. The scheme will be introduced within weeks ensuring that patients can benefit immediately.
Trainee dental places will be expanded by 40 per cent as part of the first ever NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.
Expanded prevention care is also being rolled out for younger children to help reduce tooth decay and improve the nation’s oral health. The Smile for Life programme will offer parents-to-be further advice for baby gums and milk teeth. Babies and toddlers in nurseries will have tooth brushing as part of the daily routine, so that every child in primary school will see tooth brushing as a normal part of their day.
The Government is delivering its plan to improve access to NHS dentistry and cut waiting lists, ensuring that we build a brighter and healthier future for everyone.
As always, if you require my help with anything at all, please do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone on 01543 877142.
