NHS dentists treat 47,000 fewer patients

The Daily Telegraph reports today that 47,000 fewer people a year are receiving dental treatment on the NHS following the introduction of controversial reforms, according to the Government figures.

The report also claims that there are 500 fewer dentists working on the NHS now than before the new dentist contracts were introduced in April 2006.

Patients groups and dentists have critised the report for claiming that the new system has improved services, saying access to dental care under the NHS has not improved and people are struggling to be seen.

Citizens Advice says there are two million people trying to registers with an NHS dentist but have been unable to get on the books.

And the British Dental Association said these figures were extremely conservative and were likely to actually be significantly higher.

The new contract aimed to simplify a multitude of different payment methods, but this has meant that dentists are paid just once for doing fillings, no matter how many they do for a patient.

A quota system on the number of patients they were allowed to treat in a year was also introduced. But some practices are filling their year's quota in nine months and are having to close for the remainder of the year.

The controversy over the new system led to hundreds of dentists leaving the NHS altogether.

Peter Ward, Chief Executive of British Dental Association, said "This first year report on the new untested contract for dentists justifies our concerns and will do little to rebuild trust with the profession.

"By the government's own admission, we now have fewer NHS dentists and access to care for patients remains patchy. This is not a picture of success and confidence."

Which? research showed 59% of NHS practices in London were taking on new patients compared to just 13% in the North West.

Liz Phelps, from Citizens Advice, said its bureaux still received reports of huge problems.

She said "The shocking truth is that despite all the assurances that the situation is improving, there has been no overall increase at all in the number of patients seen by NHS dentists in the first year of the reforms.

"That means that even by the Governments own estimate there are still two million people trying to get NHS dental treatment who cant find a dentist."

Claims by Health Minister Ann Keen that the new system has proved better for patients have also been criticised by Richard Thomas, secretary of the Federation of London Local Dental Committees, who has said that new dental services have only been provided at the cost of services elsewhere, as there is no extra money in the system.

"Where PCTS have increased access to dental services in an area of higher need, it is at the expense of other areas because there is no extra money", he said.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb called for an independent review, saying "This report is almost Orwellian in its interpretation of the truth.

"It is a total whitewash and will be of little comfort to patients who cannot find a local NHS dentist and is an insult to the many dentists who are forced to turn away patients because of the new contract."