LOCAL MP CALLS FOR REVIEW OF NHS DENTISTRY

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 26th Jun 2007

Speaking in the House of Commons this afternoon, local MP Lorely Burt has hit out at the government's record on NHS dentistry. As new figures show that the numbers of people seeing a dentist is in freefall, Lorely Burt has called on the Secretary of State for Health to implement an urgent review of the current system.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Lorely asked the Health Minister:

"The number of adults seen by an NHS dentist has fallen over the past year by 63,000. Latest figures also show that 45% of the population had not seen a dentist in the past 24 months: a figure that has remained stable over time.

"How can the Health Secretary claim that the new contract has increased access to NHS dentistry? When will they implement an urgent review into the system?"

Responding, Health Minister Rosie Winterton acknowledged that 19 out of 33 dental practices in Solihull were not accepting new NHS patients.

Commenting afterwards, Lorely said:

"NHS dentistry had reached crisis point before these new contracts were imposed. Now the future looks bleak for NHS patients both in Solihull and across the UK.

"It appears that this is a half-hearted attempt by the Government to solve the problems of NHS dentistry. The contract system which the government introduced last year focuses on results and targets; not on oral health or patient access to an NHS dentist or orthodontist.

"The fall in the number of people seeing a dentist is an indictment of Labour's failure to restore the NHS to what it should be: a universal, comprehensive service that provides ongoing health care to everyone who needs it."