NHS Dental Services Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateBaroness Uddin
Main Page: Baroness Uddin (Non-affiliated - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Baroness Uddin's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(2 years, 3 months ago)
Lords ChamberMy Lords, access to dental services for those with learning and other disabilities has been dire. What assessments and actions will the Government take to ensure that clear pathways are laid for them to access those services? They are not getting the kinds of services they rightly deserve.
The noble Baroness is absolutely right that everyone—not just people from deprived areas—should have as much access as they can to dental care. As I said, we are looking at the picture at the moment. During the pandemic, 700 urgent dental care centres were set up. As more dentists have come back on stream after the pandemic, the number has been reduced to 550. If someone is not getting care, they can ring 111 and be signposted to an NHS dentist.