Access to NHS Dentistry
Irene Campbell Excerpts(2 weeks, 2 days ago)
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Irene Campbell (North Ayrshire and Arran) (Lab)
When the NHS was introduced, it made the biggest positive changes ever to the health of the general population. The original “How to use your NHS” booklet from 1948 stated:
“It will provide you with all medical, dental and nursing care. Everyone—rich or poor, man, woman or child—can use it or any part of it.”
On the topic of dentistry, it said:
“After 5th July you can go to any dentist taking part in the new arrangements (there will be a list at your Post Office).”
At that time, 83% of registered dentists signed up to work in the NHS. Currently, in England, approximately 66% are signed up to work in the NHS, a significant reduction since the early days that demonstrates a clear barrier to access.
As a former NHS manager in Scotland, I have seen the importance of early intervention when it comes to health inequalities, particularly in dentistry. Scotland too has an access crisis, with decreasing numbers of NHS participating dentists. Naturally, those lower levels of participation affect patient access to NHS dental services, and dentists lose the chance to pick up early signs of decay, cancers and other serious issues, which results in higher costs for the NHS and worse outcomes for patients.
Additionally, children and adults from the most deprived areas were less likely than their wealthier counterparts to have seen their dentist within the last two years. Recent statistics from Public Health Scotland showed that 55.9% of children from the most deprived areas have seen their dentist in the last two years, compared with 75.8% for children in the least deprived areas. Those figures drop to 42.7% and 53.5% for adults.
In September 2008, the gap in child participation between the most and least deprived areas was three percentage points. That increased to seven percentage points by 2010, 18 percentage points in 2021, and then 20 percentage points in 2023. We cannot let that continue. As oral health inequalities continue to grow, it is important that our NHS strategy involves a focus on increasing participation and access in more deprived areas. Otherwise, we will continue to see further such worrying trends, which cause more serious problems further down the line.
Several hon. Members rose—
Parkinson’s Disease
Irene Campbell Excerpts(2 weeks, 3 days ago)
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Paul Davies
We have to keep an open mind, look at what is being done in other places, countries and regions, and learn from that. We should take that on board and relate any changes in the future to good practice elsewhere. I thank the hon. Gentleman for the intervention.
A diagnosis of Parkinson’s is life-changing, and patients deserve immediate, comprehensive support. That is why Parkinson’s UK launched Parkinson’s Connect, which is a pioneering programme that enables healthcare professionals to refer newly diagnosed patients directly to a network of support. This includes access to specialist nurses, care advisers, local support groups and educational resources.
Irene Campbell (North Ayrshire and Arran) (Lab)
I want to look at things in a positive way for a moment. In my constituency, the local newspaper, the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, highlights that the North Ayrshire table tennis club holds classes for people with Parkinson’s, and that the activity has been very well received. In 2024, a constituent of mine, Steve Morley from Stevenston, who took up table tennis to help with his symptoms after his Parkinson’s diagnosis, played at the World Masters in Rome. That is excellent. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is important to provide support for those with Parkinson’s who are keen to keep active?
Paul Davies
I absolutely agree. This is not a case of placing people with Parkinson’s in the corner and providing them with medication; this is about helping them to lead full lives, improving their quality of life and aiding them to do what they want to do. I know from people I have met in the Parkinson’s community that that is exactly what they want to do, so I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend.
Early intervention can make a profound difference in how patients manage their condition and maintain their independence. For people with Parkinson’s, receiving medication on time—within 30 minutes of the prescribed schedule—is not a convenience; it is a necessity. Delays can lead to severe symptoms, including immobility, pain and, in extreme cases, life-threatening complications. However, more than half of hospitalised patients report problems receiving their medication on time.
Maternal Mental Health
Irene Campbell Excerpts(4 months ago)
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Laura Kyrke-Smith
Absolutely—that is one way in which people can experience severe mental health challenges and consequences, and it needs to be considered. I also want to acknowledge that new dads and partners experience mental health challenges too, but given our limited time, I am focusing today on maternal mental health.
Irene Campbell (North Ayrshire and Arran) (Lab)
Does my hon. Friend agree that stigma around mental health, particularly maternal mental health, can be used by abusers as a barrier to women getting help? Domestic violence during the perinatal period and the effects on mental health require widespread attention, so that survivors can feel comfortable and safe when asking for support.
Laura Kyrke-Smith
I agree; we need to shed more light on this, precisely for that and other reasons.
I will touch briefly on my first recommendation, which is to ensure that specialist perinatal mental health services are protected. In the last 10 years, there have been significant steps forward. Mother and baby units in particular can be an important part of someone’s treatment and recovery, as well as having significant benefits for the parent-infant relationship.
Tragically, there are still too many stories of women not being able to access those units. They are perhaps too far away from where a woman lives, or there is not a bed available, or the need for a mother to get that care has not been identified properly. We are still seeing mothers with newborns being put into adult psychiatric units and separated from their babies, despite the national guidance saying that mother and baby units are best practice. Continued support for these services is crucial, both in mother and baby units and in the community, and that must include research to develop the best interventions and robust evaluations of the care provided.
The Mental Health Bill is a sorely needed piece of legislation, and I really welcome it, but I wonder whether it might include a provision to ensure that all women who have given birth within the 12 months prior to admission to a psychiatric unit are given the option of being admitted to a ward where they can remain with their baby. That could help to prevent women from falling through the cracks in the system, as they do currently.
Secondly, I turn to routine maternity care, which is where the mental health support for the vast majority of women can and should sit. Again, we have seen progress, with some vital new services in place, including care for women experiencing baby loss, severe fear of childbirth, birth trauma and loss of custody at birth.