By NHS dentist patients could face three-year wait
According to reports in East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, patients are facing up to a three-year wait to see an NHS dentist.
Healthwatch England, the NHS body representing patients, said some were struggling to receive treatment, as dentists close to new NHS patients.
The watchdog said the issue needed “urgent attention” and the government said it was increasing investment in services to improve access.
The BBC reported, that Kedma Woodmansey says she is having to combine trips home to Brazil to see a family with a visit to the dentist
“I knew at that point we were going back to Brazil at least once a year to visit the family so would visit my dentist [at the same time],” she said.
During the pandemic, it became more difficult to travel to see her dentist so she tried again to register in the UK.
“They said they couldn’t take new registrations,” she said.
“Whether in Hull, or the area we live now, it’s just been ridiculous trying to get registered,” she added.
They also reported, that Hilary Andre, – a retired primary school teacher, said she was forced to go private after being unable to register with an NHS dentist
She said although they had managed to find a doctor “quite easily”, they were told they faced a three-year wait to see an NHS dentist.
“It never crossed my mind it was going to be so difficult – once the worst of the lockdown was over we thought we would be able to get a dentist,” she said.
“We ended up having to have a private dentist,” she added.
Issy Bunn, a teacher from North Lincolnshire, told BBC Look North she had moved back to the area from London and had tried unsuccessfully to register with numerous NHS dentists in Grimsby, Scunthorpe, and Hull.
“Everyone said there was a 200-plus person waiting list,” she said.
“I don’t know what to do – I’m being quite stubborn because I don’t want to pay private – it’s such a big difference – particularly when you are registering as a new patient.”
“It’s not fair that if I lived in London, it would be fine for me to register as an NHS patient, but I’ve got no chance up here,” she said.
The British Dental Association has said the current contract is “dysfunctional”, as it provided an insufficient reward for treating patients.
The government said it was increasing investment in services to improve access as well as looking to reform the system.
