Ipswich constituents struggling to access NHS dental care, says MP Tom Hunt

A number of people in Ipswich are finding it 'impossible' to access NHS dental care, the MP for the town has said.

MP Tom Hunt said some of his constituents were contacting multiple dental practices but 'haven't got anywhere'.

He was speaking in the House of Commons earlier this afternoon where questions and concerns were heard from a number of MPs regarding dental provision across the United Kingdom.

Dental provision in Suffolk has come under fire in recent months, with many residents struggling to access treatment on the NHS.

Dentaid, a dental charity, visited Bury St Edmunds in February to offer free treatment to patients suffering chronic toothache. The charity also visited Leiston.

Mr Hunt said: "A number of my constituents are finding it impossible to get access to NHS dental care, including Alison one of my constituents who has worked as a midwife in Ipswich Hospital for 40 years.

"Some of them have contacted 40 different practices, and haven't got anywhere.

"My understanding is there's been a 30 per cent drop in dentists taking on NHS work in Suffolk.

Directing his question to Maria Caulfield, minister for patient safety and primary care, Mr Hunt added: "Will the minister explain to me what local work has been going on between the department and the local NHS bodies to try and ensure that this is addressed?"

Mrs Caulfield said the current NHS dental contract was being reformed, adding work was being done with Health Education England, which coordinates education and training within the health and public health workforce in England, to increase the 'skill mix and scope of practitioners across dental teams'.

She added more flexible routes into dental training were being implemented and modelling was being done to assess parts of the country with the biggest gaps in NHS dental provision.

"I will look at Ipswich in particular," she said.

Feryal Clark, MP for Enfield North and shadow minister for Health and Social Care, described the current dental situation across the UK as a 'crisis'.

"Patients are stuck with a never-ending wait for a NHS appointment, or footing the bill for private, which is simply not an option for most families suffering with rising bills and taxes," she said.

"With a third of the population suffering from untreated tooth decay, when is this Government, who have had 12 years, finally going to come up with some practical solutions that put the needs of patients first rather than the half-baked and unworkable ideas we have heard to date?"

Mrs Caulfield claimed the current dental contract was put in place in 2006 by the Labour Government, adding: "For the last two years during the pandemic, dentists weren't able to offer any routine care and we've slowly had to work that up to 95 per cent of usual activity."