NHS dentists on the Isle of Wight have pulled out of a national scheme to provide additional sessions, as bosses say staff are ‘physically, mentally and emotionally drained’.
On the Island, dental practices are at capacity, fighting what Healthwatch calls the Isle of Wight’s ‘biggest health inequality.’ A shocking report from the watchdog found almost half of Islanders are finding it difficult to get treatment.
Practices were closed for nearly 4 months at the start of the COVID pandemic, which added to the backlog of patients already seeking treatment.
The number of people waiting for treatment remains high — with some forced to find private treatment due to the long waiting list or lack of practices accepting patients.
Alison Cross, the South East’s senior dental commissioning manager for NHS England, told the Isle of Wight Council funding had been offered to practices to run additional hours outside their normal timeslots.
Across the country, practices were offered £400 to provide 3 more hours of work, in line with the British Dental Guild rate, as well as an enhancement for working outside of core hours.
Despite some Island practices initially taking up the deal and offering sessions, they all pulled out within weeks.
She told the council:
“It has to be recognised that many practices are struggling to do these additional hours to help us out as the majority of staff are physically, mentally and emotionally drained.
“The offer is still there for practices who feel they have the ability to offer the extra sessions, our doors are open, but at the moment none have come forward to say they are able to do this.”
One of the major issues facing the Island, Ms Cross said, is the recruitment of dentists and their willingness to stay here, or travel across The Solent.
An oral health needs assessment is being carried out across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight which will highlight the issues and allow the NHS to build into the gaps in service.
The assessment started last month and is expected to be completed early next year.
Well if the Dentist would SEE and TREAT they wouldn’t have such a back log of people waiting.
You have to first get an appointment which is near on impossible.
THEN the Dentist has a look and THEN you have to book another appointment for treatment. See and Treat and stop wasting time.
Yet those on tax credits paid for bringing in ever more to an over crowded world, get free dentisty, and are adding to the growing lists of those in need.
They are getting free meals for all they add to, and this costly scheme could have been used to fund more dentists here.
Having children should make that CHOICE more costly for the parent, or, for the rarely parents, NOT eveyone else who pay the price in so many ways, not least a crumbling health service
0 NHS dentists available on the Isle of Wight, just another step towards private health care. Because that worked out so well the the Americans.
I think we are being a bit hash on dentists expecting them to work extra hours on NHS treatments, they are far to busy pushing you to take on private treatments which should be offered on the NHS.
It is terrible for people not to be able to get a dentist appointment. Teeth can cause many other health problems, aside from pain. Loss of weight, sepsis, heart/stomach problems and the list goes on…
I think it is a tough job and dentists deserve to be treated with respect, as much as GPs or anyone else in the health sector.
I have been trying for nearly 3 years to get on an NHS dentist list. I live in constant pain because I have no other choice as cant afford private care. Disgusting how poor we are served for the basic healthcare needed here.
wouldn’t be if there werent so many spongers from the mainland, moving into the newly built benefit hutches
Don’t worry we’ll soon have City status !
Poor dentists!!At my last appointment with one on isle he apologised for taking an urgent call halfway through my treatment.It was from an engineer at his home trying to fix his automatic electric garage door.I rest my case.
I’ve just been again refused an appointment with my dentist because I am an NHS patient. We are now paying the highest taxes in peacetime yet have virtually nonexistent public services and the lowest benefit levels for a hundred yyears.This is corruption.
You are lucky to be on a Dentists list, even if its impossible to see them. I cant even get on ANY dentists list over here.
THINK, IF you allowed into your home a dozen people with NO income, and YOU had to supply them all with money, a home, health care, education, a pension etc etc, would YOU be better or worse off. Then times this by millions for the UK and realise it is not Government cash but OURs. Please think and see WHY.