NHS Dentistry: South-west

Caroline Voaden Excerpts
Tuesday 12th November 2024

(1 week, 2 days ago)

Westminster Hall
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Richard Foord Portrait Richard Foord
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The hon. Member for Tiverton and Minehead has clearly done her homework. It is quite staggering that recommendations from that long ago are still not implemented.

Caroline Voaden Portrait Caroline Voaden (South Devon) (LD)
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Lord Darzi said in his review of the NHS that

“urgent action is needed to develop a contract that balances activity and prevention, is attractive to dentists and rewards those dentists who practise in less served areas”

such as mine in South Devon, where not a single dentist is taking on NHS patients any more. Would my hon. Friend agree that we urgently need a timeline for this work to be done?

Richard Foord Portrait Richard Foord
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Yes, I think so. My hon. Friend is right to point to some of the recommendations in the Darzi report. I was encouraged to see reference to neighbourhood hubs, where perhaps we can have delivery of primary care, such as NHS dentistry, nearer to the constituents we represent.