MPs heard yet more local Healthwatch evidence in their inquiry into NHS dentistry this week in a roundtable at the House of Commons, which included the many issues Islanders are facing.
Joanna Smith, manager of Healthwatch Isle of Wight, attended the roundtable on Wednesday (7th June) to share patient evidence with Steve Brine, chair of the Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee and three other MP members.
Also invited were members of the campaign group Toothless in England, along with national parent carer representatives and a person who had ended up needing hospital treatment after removing their own teeth.
Healthwatch Isle of Wight shared with committee chair Steve Brine MP issues about lack of access to NHS dentistry on the Island and the extra costs to patients in travelling to the mainland to get treatment. They requested changes to the dentistry contract to make it easier for dentists to provide NHS care and highlighted the urgent need for NHS dental care to be made available to everyone, not just those who can afford to pay privately.
Views shared in the roundtable will be included in the final inquiry report of the committee, with recommendations for the Government. The report should be published in about a month’s time.
The inquiry has previously heard evidence given in person from Healthwatch England and Healthwatch North Lincolnshire and also received dozens of written submissions from local Healthwatch, including Healthwatch Isle of Wight.
Joanna has said:
“The government roundtable was a great opportunity for us to highlight the significant problems that Island residents have in accessing NHS dentistry and to request that the government takes swift action. We are very grateful to all those people who have contacted us to share their experiences, which has given us the evidence to highlight these serious issues both locally and nationally.”
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An inquiry needed to highlight what we already knew. Cheers. Big up to the Echo for using ‘biting’, I see what you done there.
Any sign of or hope that Bob the cat saviour got involved… no !! There’s as surprise .. BoJo’s gone .. Nadine’s gone .. Bob gone yet ?
No way Bob has enough to go private with OUR money !
I Haven’t seen a dentist for 6 years or more, except for an emergency extraction the week before lockdown.
I have a NHS Dentist who has cancels every appointment that is made.
Will only see emergencies.
Will not remove teeth.
Will not treat anything unless a check up is paid for first…then an appointment is made for treatment if its an emergency only.
Or… you can pay this NHS Dentist privately for what would normally be NHS Treatment.
Because, after deducting costs, the hourly rate for NHS work paid to dentists is barely more than the minimum wage.
The problem, as always, is the Tory Government. Stop listening to their tame press attack dogs.
How did they survive in the past.
Believe greed springs to mind & sod the people who can’t afford highly priced private fees.
Bring back NHS .
I have never seen a poor dentist private or NHS
A shambles.
They survived in the past because they used to get more for treating NHS patients.
The Tories (yes, them again) cut that and, surprisingly, they now do private work in preference to NHS work.
Like GPs, dentists are not employed by the NHS. They are contractors. If you are a contractor you get to pick and choose whether the rate is worth it.
Yes, a shambles, but all down to the Tory Government.
This, exactly this.
Do NHS dentists even exist anymore? If so, where and how do you find them?? I don’t know anyone who has one, no matter where they live in the UK.
Went to the hospital got turned away as not been to see a dentist first, but couldn’t get an appointment so loose tooth still wiggles so really can’t be assed any more,
We need NHS dentists on Island.
The private dentists are too expensive for most every day patients.
I am unable to pay rip off private prices so just carry on & hope for the best.