Oral Answers to Questions

Alice Macdonald Excerpts

Tuesday 23rd July 2024 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Alice Macdonald (Norwich North) (Lab/Co-op)]

1. What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the NHS dental contracting framework.

[Lewis Atkinson (Sunderland Central) (Lab)]

17. What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the NHS dental contracting framework.

--- Later in debate ---

[Alice Macdonald]

I welcome my right hon. Friend to his place. Norfolk is a dental desert and my constituents are suffering. As well as reforming the contract, we need to train more dentists. In the east of England we do not have a dental school, but the University of East Anglia has put forward proposals for one. Will he meet me, other hon. Members from Norfolk and representatives from the University of East Anglia to discuss this important proposal?

[Wes Streeting]

It is appalling that Norfolk and Waveney are so poorly served in terms of dentistry. There are only 36 dentists per 100,000 people, compared with the national average of 53, so when my hon. Friend says that her community is a dental desert, Members should know that it is the Sahara of dental deserts. We will work with partners to ensure that patients across the country can access a dentist when they need one. I am aware, not least thanks to her advocacy and the advocacy of other Labour MPs across Norfolk, of the University of East Anglia’s proposal, and I would be delighted to meet her and my colleagues.