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The British Dental Association (BDA) took to the Conservative Party Conference today to highlight the ‘sick’ state of NHS dentistry to delegates.
Taking place in Manchester, the BDA stood outside the conference with a poster which recreated the Conservative Party’s iconic ‘Labour is not working’ poster into ‘NHS dentistry is not working’.
With the government still failing to deliver on promises of an NHS dental rescue plan, the BDA attended the conference to spread the message about the need to restore NHS dentistry.
It comes after Rishi Sunak pledged to restore NHS dentistry if he became Prime Minister during last summer’s leadership contest in a bid to ease the ‘unprecedented pressure’ dentistry is under. So far, no action has been taken to do so.
This year’s Conservative Party Conference, called #CPC23, follows reports of daily queues from 4am in Leigh, Greater Manchester, outside a dental office which is offering appointments to NHS patients on a walk-in basis. first come first served.
On X, the BDA posted: ‘@RishiSunak pledged to “restore” NHS dentistry when he ran for the top job. But there is no sign of the change we need to ensure this service has a future. Near the corner of #CPC23, patients have been queuing since 4 am for an appointment. NHS dentistry needs a rescue plan.’
.@RishiSunak pledged to “reinvigorate” NHS dentistry when he ran for the top job.
But there is no sign of the change we need to ensure this service has a future.
Around the corner from #CPC23 patients have been queuing since 4am for an appointment.
🛟 NHS dentistry needs a rescue plan pic.twitter.com/9BvlQ8FwEf
— BDA (@TheBDA) October 2, 2023
Giving up hope
Eddie Crouch, chairman of the BDA, said: “As ministers drag out a rescue plan, patients have been queuing since dawn and many dentists are giving up hope of change.
“Rishi Sunak ran for the top job on a promise to ‘restore’ NHS dentistry and so far that promise has been broken.
“If this government fails to step up, there may not be any services left to save.”
It comes after new data revealed that more than 4.4 million children in England were not seen by an NHS dentist last year.
Led by the Liberal Democrats, the research showed that 38.7% of children across the country had not received the annual NHS check recommended in health service guidelines.
As a result, a dental practice in Cornwall is to start an NHS pilot scheme where it will only see patients under 18, over 80 or with specific health needs. This scheme aims to provide assistance to those who need it most.
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