🦷 Access to Dentistry: Somerset

• Issue Highlighted: Anna Sabine, MP for Frome and East Somerset, addressed the severe challenges regarding access to NHS dentistry in Somerset.

• Statistics Cited: In Somerset, only 32% of adults and 42% of children saw an NHS dentist within the specified periods, both figures significantly lower than the national averages of 40% and 55% respectively.

• Impact on Health Services: The lack of dental access contributes to increased pressure on other health services, such as A&E, where dental-related visits are particularly high in the south-west region.

• Personal Stories: A constituent’s husband, who suffered a stroke and broke his teeth, struggled to receive timely dental care, highlighting the dire consequences of poor access to dental treatment.

• Government Initiatives: The Minister for Care, Stephen Kinnock, mentioned the government’s efforts, including the rollout of 700,000 urgent dental appointments annually, with 13,498 allocated for Somerset.

• Supervised Toothbrushing: An initiative to tackle childhood tooth decay includes a supervised toothbrushing program for three to five-year-olds, with specific funding allocated to Somerset.

• Workforce Challenges: Somerset faces significant shortages of NHS dentists, with a 29% vacancy rate in the south-west region for full-time NHS general dentists.

• Contract and Recruitment Issues: The minister acknowledged the need for a radical overhaul of the NHS dental contract, which currently does not incentivize dentists to undertake NHS work. The government is engaging with the British Dental Association to address this.

• Golden Hello Scheme: A scheme offering £20,000 to dentists to work in underserved areas has seen some success in the south-west, with new dentists recruited and more positions advertised.

• Future Plans: The government aims to publish a refreshed long-term workforce plan to support NHS dentistry and ensure that no one is left without necessary dental care.

The parliamentary session on access to dentistry in Somerset displayed minimal disagreement among participants. The interactions primarily consisted of Members of Parliament raising concerns and seeking solutions from the Minister, who responded positively and constructively to each point raised. There were no instances of strong opposition or heated exchanges that would indicate significant disagreement.

• Anna Sabine, the primary speaker, shared statistics and personal anecdotes to highlight the severity of the dental access crisis in Somerset. Other MPs, such as Richard Foord and Jim Shannon, agreed with her points and added their own experiences to emphasize the urgency of the situation.

• When Steff Aquarone mentioned the delay in funding for a new dental school, Anna Sabine agreed that it was a significant concern, showing alignment rather than disagreement.

• Steve Yemm suggested the utilization of dental therapists and hygienists, which Anna Sabine supported, indicating further consensus on the need for better workforce management.

• Helen Morgan criticized the previous government’s golden hello scheme and advocated for dental contract renegotiation, to which Anna Sabine agreed, reinforcing their shared perspective.

• The Minister, Stephen Kinnock, addressed the points raised by MPs effectively, outlining government initiatives and acknowledging the need for reform in the dental contracting system. He responded positively to suggestions from Sir Ashley Fox about expanding dental training and to Rachel Gilmour about her concerns with ICB performance, without any significant pushback.

• The session ended with a unanimous agreement to the question put forth, further evidencing a lack of disagreement among the members present.

Given the minimal level of contention and the overall constructive nature of the discussions, the session is rated 1 on the disagreement scale, indicating a highly consensual environment.