NHS Dentistry in Rutland in 2023
Early In 2022 we investigated people’s experiences of NHS dentistry in Rutland. Using the feedback we received, we campaigned to improve access to dentistry in our county, including contributing to Healthwatch evidence to the parliamentary inquiry into dentistry in April 2023.
Some national reforms have been made, such as:
- Enhanced remuneration for dentists to support higher complexity patients needing multiple fillings/extractions (whilst patients continue to pay the same price)
- Extending dental recall intervals for patients with good oral health, to free up appointment slots
- An attempt to make the NHS website more informative for patients seeking a practice that can offer them an appointment
- Encouraging the wider use of dental care practitioners to do simple fillings etc.
However, the situation for Rutland remains that there are no NHS dentists with capacity to accept new adult patients for routine treatment and limited capacity for children.
In Autumn 2023 we launched a new quick poll to get a snapshot of how people were finding dentistry services 18 months on. We heard from 123 people and the feedback again highlighted that the people of Rutland need more affordable, accessible dentistry services.
Key findings included:
- 59% of respondents were unable to get an NHS dental appointment in the last 12 months.
- There are reports of people feeling pressure to spend more money on what are considered to be unnecessary, cosmetic treatments such as teeth whitening through private clinics.
- Most people attend a dentist locally - 61% of respondents traveled less than 5 miles.
- Some people feel that they have no choice but to attend private surgeries even though they cannot afford to do so.
- We received some positive comments, but the majority were negative:
“I have tried several times, through 111, to get an emergency appointment for two very urgent and very painful dental issues for well over a year now. I can’t afford to go private and just cannot get an appointment with the only NHS dentist here, even for an emergency”.
Tracey Allan-Jones, Healthwatch Rutland Manager said:
“Whilst we eagerly await the promised national Dental Care Recovery Plan from the Department of Health and Social Care, public feedback demonstrates that change is urgently needed now.
"Many people cannot afford private dentistry and are in pain and distress. We need a clear plan for improving local access to affordable routine and urgent dental care.
"Recent incentives for existing dentists to offer more local NHS appointments have not been taken up and major reform of the 2006 dental contract is required to attract and retain more dentists to deliver NHS dentistry in Rutland.”