Access to high street dentistry ‘appalling’ says health board

Access to high street dentistry is “appalling”, the health board responsible for commissioning dental services in the county has admitted.

Representatives of NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB) appeared before the county council’s health overview and scrutiny committee on Wednesday (January 8).

Charmaine Hawker, director of delegated commissioning, said the board inherited a “relatively poor position” from NHS England.

“This is a service that has been in decline over the last 10 years,” she said.

“As a result, Herefordshire and Worcestershire has the poorest access to NHS dentistry across the west midlands.”

She said there are two main reasons for this decline – the NHS contracts under which dentists work and the number of dentists working across the two counties.

To address the lack of NHS dentistry provision, a local dental recovery plan has been developed.

“The main driver is around increasing access and reducing health inequalities,” said Ms Hawker.

“We also need to retain the workforce we do have and make it more attractive for new recruits to come to Herefordshire and Worcestershire to work and be part of that dental community.”

The plan aims to reduce waiting times, open new dental practices and to establish a dental training centre for overseas graduates.

A change in legislation will also give the ICB the power to reduce the contract values of providers who consistently under-deliver.

Cllr Richard Udall asked what people are supposed to do when they are in pain and can’t get in to see an NHS dentist.

“Until quite recently, we had walk-in dental surgeries with dentists salaried by the NHS,” he said. “Can we have that return? Not in private practice making money from people, but working for the NHS, serving the public. Surely that’s the way forward.”

The ICB’s Karen Payton said the salaried service “morphed into” the community dental service, which is contracted to provide emergency dental care.

She said patients who do not have access to a high street dentist can contact the community dental service at Moor Street Clinic in Worcester.

“We know access to high street dentistry is appalling and that’s the service we’ve inherited,” she said. “Across the 56 dental practices in Worcestershire, we’re aware of about 10 or 11 that are actively taking on patients.

“That’s what we want to be able to improve. There’s all this activity wrapped up in contracts that aren’t delivered.

“Once we’re able to remove that and commission it with providers that can deliver, that’ll completely open up the landscape for patients to ring up a practice and get an appointment.”