Young people in Norfolk and Suffolk are being forced to wait up to four years for orthodontic appointments, despite more than £5m being pumped into the region's NHS dental services - reports the Eastern Daily Press.
However, the sum is equivalent to only 8 hours of cash the government pays to the audit-failing European Union every year - even taking into account grants and subisides Britain receives back. And only about a fifth of the money will be spent on tackling the severe shortage of orthodontists.
Meanwhile, the average wait for orthodontic care in the Yarmouth and Waveney Primary Care Trust (PCT) area now tops three and a half years, with patients in Suffolk and Norfolk waiting two and a half year before an appointment.
Last month, NHS Norfolk announced that it would invest £2.8m in the county's NHS dentistry services to tackle shortages in towns including Dereham and North Walsham, but only £720,000 will be spent on improving access to orthodontic treatment.
Although the extra funding should allow about 600 more cases to be dealt with each year by employing at least two more specialist orthodontists, it will take several years for the long waiting lists to be reduced.
Liberal Democrat shadow health secretary and North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb said: “Norfolk has some completely unacceptable waiting times and, as a parent whose children have both benefitted from orthodontic treatment, I sympathise with the problem.
“Parents are finding now that getting treatment for their children is much more difficult than it was just three or four years ago, the service has deteriorated that quickly. It is a serious issue.”
In the Yarmouth and Waveney area, the average waiting time is three and a half years - meaning that many patients are left waiting significantly longer than that before treatment.
With some youngsters being referred to orthodontists when they are 10 or 11, they could be in their late teens before the work to correct their teeth is complete.
Bob Purser, contracts manager for Yarmouth and Waveney PCT, said: “We acknowledge that there is currently an extended assessment waiting time for primary care specialist orthodontics treatment. A key priority for the PCT for the coming 12 months is to significantly reduce this waiting time.”
Suffolk PCT announced a £1.3m investment in its NHS dental services earlier this year, but only about £900,000 has been ring-fenced for orthodontic care.
NHS Norfolk is due to increase spending on dentistry by 13pc next year, totalling a £2.8m investment.
A spokesman for Suffolk PCT said: “We are aware that some of the waiting lists for orthodontic treatment are longer than we would like. Working with our orthodontists, we are identifying ways of improving access and reducing waiting times. In 07/08 the PCT invested an additional £230,000 precisely for this purpose.”
But these are drops in the ocean compared to the scale of cash central government is wasting on the audit-failing EU, and will make little impact reducing the long waiting lists.
The government must stop wasting so much money on an organisation that hasn't been able to get its accounts approved for 13 years running, and focus on continuing funding shortfalls within NHS Primary Care Trusts that are causing these poor service levels.
Showing posts with label dentists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dentists. Show all posts
Monday, 9 June 2008
Wednesday, 7 November 2007
Manchester: Long wait for a dentist
People suffering toothache in Greater Manchester are still being forced to join long queues for treatment - three years after a government minister pledged to improve NHS dental treatment in the region - according to the Manchester Evening News.
Many are being forced to wait in hospital after failing to find an NHS dentist who can give them an appointment.
In September 2004, health minister Rosie Winterton promised dental care would improve after we showed her the queues of desperate patients outside the dental hospital.
But the lines of desperate patients are still there, and an exclusive survey conducted by the MEN this month has revealed that only a quarter of NHS dentists in Greater Manchester are offering NHS treatment to patients who say they have a painful dental problem.
Despite the freezing weather yesterday morning, patients had chosen to queue at the hospital on Oxford Road rather than face the expensive fees of their dentists who have converted to private practice.
Terrible toothache Alani Mosharaf, 31, a student from Chorlton upon Medlock, was first in the queue, he said: "I've got terrible tooth ache, I don't know what is wrong, I've had problems for the last four months and I've been here several times.
"I've tried to get a dentist near my home since I arrived in the city three years ago but they are all private, they are not interested in NHS patients - it seems like there is no NHS any more where I live."
Ben Cousins, 21, a restaurant manager, from Hulme, was also in agony but he queued for more than an hour because his last visit to his - now private - dentist cost him more than £100.
He said: "I can't afford it in November with Christmas coming up, I'm not looking forward to having a tooth removed and I don't want to pay that much to have it done.
"They say it costs £14.50 here for an appointment and depending on what you have it can go up to £48, which is a lot better value."
Last year we reported how two new full-time dentists had been recruited to work at the hospital enabling the clinic to see up to 80 extra patients a day but it still hasn't reduced the queues.
Patients are supposed to be able to get dental treatment on the NHS without being registered with a dentist. But when an MEN reporter rang 50 dental surgeons complaining about a chipped tooth just 13 said they would offer an NHS appointment within a month.
Our reporter was told by 21 of the dentists that he could have treatment privately.
The remaining 16 dentists could not offer an appointment at all, either privately or on the NHS.
The dentists were registered in the "find a dentist" section on the government's NHS Choices website.
The findings of the MEN's study are to be presented to a committee of MPs later this week by Dr Anthony Halperin, the chairman of the Patients' Association who is also a dentist.
He believes lack of funding for NHS dentistry from Primary Care Trusts is at the root of the problem and said: "It does show there are problems gaining access to NHS dentists.
"That is not necessarily because dentists are choosing to treat private patients before NHS patients, but because they are not getting funding from the PCT to take on new NHS patients.
"Under the old system, dentists could take on as many NHS patients as they liked and then fill out forms for funding. But now the funding must already be in place from the PCT and that is causing problems.
"That is what has come across to the Patients' Association. It is the lack of funding, rather than a lack of space or capability.
"These are interesting findings and I'll mention the survey when I speak to MPs next week at a select committee."
All dentists now work on a self-employed basis, and receive funding from the Manchester PCT for treating NHS patients. As more dentists turn from treating NHS patients to private work, many are now branching out into cosmetic dentistry.
When our reporter rang the same 50 dentists and asked whether they could do teeth whitening - a private cosmetic service costing between £190 and £550 - more than two thirds (34) of them said they did and offered an appointment.
A spokesman for the Manchester Health Watchdog said it was a concern that most NHS dental practices are still running a registration system despite the new guidance from the Department of Health. The watchdog was also aware practices were asking patients to sign up to monthly direct debits to receive treatment.
Martin Rathfelder, member of the Manchester Health Watchdog, said: "It is a difficult situation because dentists are self-employed and there isn't any way of preventing them doing cosmetic work, but I think questions should be asked of Manchester PCT about the level of capacity of NHS dentistry in the city.
"Based on the information collected by the MEN, the PCT should be ensuring that all NHS dentists in the city are meeting their dental unit targets and if they are not, why not?
"Is capacity the issue or is it about the money.
"Most of the dental practices in Manchester seem to be running a practice list system. Is that lawful?"
Graham Stringer, Labour MP for Blackley, said: "It seems since the new system was introduced more dentists are choosing to take on more private work.
"The current system isn't delivering what it promised to in many parts of the country, although the situation in my constituency isn't as bad as in other parts of Greater Manchester and elsewhere.
"It needs to be looked at again because the tax paying public is not getting value for money and there are real flaws in the new arrangements.
"The balance is not there. Dentists are choosing to take on more private work and this is limiting the number of NHS patients they can treat."
Many are being forced to wait in hospital after failing to find an NHS dentist who can give them an appointment.
In September 2004, health minister Rosie Winterton promised dental care would improve after we showed her the queues of desperate patients outside the dental hospital.
But the lines of desperate patients are still there, and an exclusive survey conducted by the MEN this month has revealed that only a quarter of NHS dentists in Greater Manchester are offering NHS treatment to patients who say they have a painful dental problem.
Despite the freezing weather yesterday morning, patients had chosen to queue at the hospital on Oxford Road rather than face the expensive fees of their dentists who have converted to private practice.
Terrible toothache Alani Mosharaf, 31, a student from Chorlton upon Medlock, was first in the queue, he said: "I've got terrible tooth ache, I don't know what is wrong, I've had problems for the last four months and I've been here several times.
"I've tried to get a dentist near my home since I arrived in the city three years ago but they are all private, they are not interested in NHS patients - it seems like there is no NHS any more where I live."
Ben Cousins, 21, a restaurant manager, from Hulme, was also in agony but he queued for more than an hour because his last visit to his - now private - dentist cost him more than £100.
He said: "I can't afford it in November with Christmas coming up, I'm not looking forward to having a tooth removed and I don't want to pay that much to have it done.
"They say it costs £14.50 here for an appointment and depending on what you have it can go up to £48, which is a lot better value."
Last year we reported how two new full-time dentists had been recruited to work at the hospital enabling the clinic to see up to 80 extra patients a day but it still hasn't reduced the queues.
Patients are supposed to be able to get dental treatment on the NHS without being registered with a dentist. But when an MEN reporter rang 50 dental surgeons complaining about a chipped tooth just 13 said they would offer an NHS appointment within a month.
Our reporter was told by 21 of the dentists that he could have treatment privately.
The remaining 16 dentists could not offer an appointment at all, either privately or on the NHS.
The dentists were registered in the "find a dentist" section on the government's NHS Choices website.
The findings of the MEN's study are to be presented to a committee of MPs later this week by Dr Anthony Halperin, the chairman of the Patients' Association who is also a dentist.
He believes lack of funding for NHS dentistry from Primary Care Trusts is at the root of the problem and said: "It does show there are problems gaining access to NHS dentists.
"That is not necessarily because dentists are choosing to treat private patients before NHS patients, but because they are not getting funding from the PCT to take on new NHS patients.
"Under the old system, dentists could take on as many NHS patients as they liked and then fill out forms for funding. But now the funding must already be in place from the PCT and that is causing problems.
"That is what has come across to the Patients' Association. It is the lack of funding, rather than a lack of space or capability.
"These are interesting findings and I'll mention the survey when I speak to MPs next week at a select committee."
All dentists now work on a self-employed basis, and receive funding from the Manchester PCT for treating NHS patients. As more dentists turn from treating NHS patients to private work, many are now branching out into cosmetic dentistry.
When our reporter rang the same 50 dentists and asked whether they could do teeth whitening - a private cosmetic service costing between £190 and £550 - more than two thirds (34) of them said they did and offered an appointment.
A spokesman for the Manchester Health Watchdog said it was a concern that most NHS dental practices are still running a registration system despite the new guidance from the Department of Health. The watchdog was also aware practices were asking patients to sign up to monthly direct debits to receive treatment.
Martin Rathfelder, member of the Manchester Health Watchdog, said: "It is a difficult situation because dentists are self-employed and there isn't any way of preventing them doing cosmetic work, but I think questions should be asked of Manchester PCT about the level of capacity of NHS dentistry in the city.
"Based on the information collected by the MEN, the PCT should be ensuring that all NHS dentists in the city are meeting their dental unit targets and if they are not, why not?
"Is capacity the issue or is it about the money.
"Most of the dental practices in Manchester seem to be running a practice list system. Is that lawful?"
Graham Stringer, Labour MP for Blackley, said: "It seems since the new system was introduced more dentists are choosing to take on more private work.
"The current system isn't delivering what it promised to in many parts of the country, although the situation in my constituency isn't as bad as in other parts of Greater Manchester and elsewhere.
"It needs to be looked at again because the tax paying public is not getting value for money and there are real flaws in the new arrangements.
"The balance is not there. Dentists are choosing to take on more private work and this is limiting the number of NHS patients they can treat."
Wednesday, 8 August 2007
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.
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."
Monday, 30 April 2007
Half of dentists turn their backs on NHS patients
A survey by independent consumer magazine Which? has shown that 51% of dentists are now only taking on patients if they agree to pay for their treatment privately - reports the Daily Mail.
In some areas the situation is so bad that only 13% of dentists are taking on NHS patients.
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said the figures showed NHS dentistry is becoming 'a thing of the past'.
"What is most worrying is that many people on low incomes are effectively excluded from dental care", he said.
"One 80-year-old woman who came to me needed teeth taking out and new false teeth putting in. She was told that would cost between £500 and £800 to have done privately - because she can't get an NHS dentist."
Researchers from Which? contacted 466 dentists across the country, posing as patients.
Recent surveys by Which? has also highlighted disatisfaction at the state of the NHS. Spokesperson Frances Blunden said:
"The government has ploughed enormous amounts of money into the NHS but on the ground the public are seeing cuts in services and considerable difficulties getting treatment."
Presumably Norman Lamb will be one MP at least who will not be approving the waste of an extra £2.5bn a year on the audit-failing and terminally wasteful EU - at least until this serious public service problem is solved?
As he himself admits - and he will obviously be far from the only MP - his constituents are suffering as a result.
How will he explain to the 80-year-old woman he mentions as being unable to get an NHS dentist that, despite this abject failure of a key public service, he has nevertheless approved upping the EU's grant by a whopping 60%.
In some areas the situation is so bad that only 13% of dentists are taking on NHS patients.
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said the figures showed NHS dentistry is becoming 'a thing of the past'.
"What is most worrying is that many people on low incomes are effectively excluded from dental care", he said.
"One 80-year-old woman who came to me needed teeth taking out and new false teeth putting in. She was told that would cost between £500 and £800 to have done privately - because she can't get an NHS dentist."
Researchers from Which? contacted 466 dentists across the country, posing as patients.
Recent surveys by Which? has also highlighted disatisfaction at the state of the NHS. Spokesperson Frances Blunden said:
"The government has ploughed enormous amounts of money into the NHS but on the ground the public are seeing cuts in services and considerable difficulties getting treatment."
Presumably Norman Lamb will be one MP at least who will not be approving the waste of an extra £2.5bn a year on the audit-failing and terminally wasteful EU - at least until this serious public service problem is solved?
As he himself admits - and he will obviously be far from the only MP - his constituents are suffering as a result.
How will he explain to the 80-year-old woman he mentions as being unable to get an NHS dentist that, despite this abject failure of a key public service, he has nevertheless approved upping the EU's grant by a whopping 60%.
Wednesday, 27 December 2006
Yorkshire: NHS facing more pain after dental fees blunder
Cash-stricken NHS trusts in Yorkshire face another blow amid fears a government blunder in calculating controversial dental charges will leave a multi-million black hole in budgets.
A survey by the Yorkshire Post has found health chiefs in the region are predicting losses of up to £11m in revenue from the new dental charges introduced in April.
The huge shortfalls are being felt across England.
If the same pattern were to be repeated nationwide it could leave the NHS facing a dental charge deficit of more than £100m in 2006-07 – on top of an escalating crisis in health service finances which is already leading to big cuts in care.
Last night dentists’ leaders warned the shortfall could be made up in future years by big increases in dental charges.
The total loss in Yorkshire is predicted to be £10.9m, although the figure excludes East Riding.
The biggest predicted deficit is in the Bradford district, where health chiefs estimate they will be £2.4m below target by March.
Sheffield primary care trust (PCT) could run up losses of £2m.
The losses are exacerbating the NHS financial crisis. In latest estimates, NHS trusts in Yorkshire are predicting they will plunge £129m into the red by the end of March.
Scarborough dentist John Renshaw warned there were dangers charges would go up. He said: "If PCTs are not getting this money, then it’s going to hit them big time when they’re already in trouble.
"You can see what will happen. Charges will go up to make up the shortfall and the trouble is it’s already fairly expensive to get treatment on the NHS.
"It will cause further damage to services in the future as it will get more difficult to get affordable care under the NHS."
A survey by the Yorkshire Post has found health chiefs in the region are predicting losses of up to £11m in revenue from the new dental charges introduced in April.
The huge shortfalls are being felt across England.
If the same pattern were to be repeated nationwide it could leave the NHS facing a dental charge deficit of more than £100m in 2006-07 – on top of an escalating crisis in health service finances which is already leading to big cuts in care.
Last night dentists’ leaders warned the shortfall could be made up in future years by big increases in dental charges.
The total loss in Yorkshire is predicted to be £10.9m, although the figure excludes East Riding.
The biggest predicted deficit is in the Bradford district, where health chiefs estimate they will be £2.4m below target by March.
Sheffield primary care trust (PCT) could run up losses of £2m.
The losses are exacerbating the NHS financial crisis. In latest estimates, NHS trusts in Yorkshire are predicting they will plunge £129m into the red by the end of March.
Scarborough dentist John Renshaw warned there were dangers charges would go up. He said: "If PCTs are not getting this money, then it’s going to hit them big time when they’re already in trouble.
"You can see what will happen. Charges will go up to make up the shortfall and the trouble is it’s already fairly expensive to get treatment on the NHS.
"It will cause further damage to services in the future as it will get more difficult to get affordable care under the NHS."
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Friday, 31 March 2006
One in 10 dentists 'plan to leave NHS'
The Guardian reports that the government was locked in a battle with dentists last night after claims that one in 10 is planning to leave the NHS.
All dentists have to sign a new contract to provide NHS care by the end of today or face uncertain funding.
The British Dental Association claimed that one in 10 has rejected the new contracts, which they say makes it impossible for them to survive financially and provide the standard of free NHS treatment the government is asking for.
Rosie Winterton, the health minister, dismissed the BDA's survey as unrepresentative and alarmist.
All dentists have to sign a new contract to provide NHS care by the end of today or face uncertain funding.
The British Dental Association claimed that one in 10 has rejected the new contracts, which they say makes it impossible for them to survive financially and provide the standard of free NHS treatment the government is asking for.
Rosie Winterton, the health minister, dismissed the BDA's survey as unrepresentative and alarmist.
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