Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the potential relationship between the availability of NHS dentistry appointments and patient access to bone-strengthening medication to treat cancer.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Whilst the Department has not made a formal assessment, some integrated care boards (ICBs) may be looking at this, using the flexible commissioning model opportunity to meet the needs of their populations. Cancer services remain a priority for ICBs.
The Government has implemented a package of reforms to improve access to National Health Service dental care, which has had an effect with more patients being seen and a 23% increase in NHS activity in the past year. We know we need to do more, and the Department’s Dentistry Recovery Plan will be published shortly, setting out a big package of change.
Mentions:
1: Andrew Western (Lab - Stretford and Urmston) between cancer and dental health is clear, the pathway from a cancer diagnosis to dental health treatment - Speech Link
2: Paulette Hamilton (Lab - Birmingham, Erdington) and effective dental services in a system that recognises the difficulties they will face during their - Speech Link
3: Yasmin Qureshi (Lab - Bolton South East) In 2022, a BBC survey found that nine out of 10 of the dental practices still offering NHS services were - Speech Link
4: Kirsty Blackman (SNP - Aberdeen North) services at this incredibly worrying time. - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Andrea Leadsom (Con - South Northamptonshire) I am determined to ensure that everybody who needs NHS dental care can receive it. - Speech Link
2: Paul Bristow (Con - Peterborough) in units of dental activity rates and the ability to recruit dentists from overseas. - Speech Link
3: Amy Callaghan (SNP - East Dunbartonshire) Cancer Research UK has found that too much UV radiation is the third biggest cause of cancer across these - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Andrew Stephenson (Con - Pendle) Significant investment is going in to reduce both general wait times and cancer wait times. - Speech Link
2: Victoria Atkins (Con - Louth and Horncastle) Friend for supporting our dental recovery plan. - Speech Link
3: Rachael Maskell (LAB - York Central) I held my first dental summit since the publication of the Government’s dental recovery plan, which I - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Theresa Villiers (Con - Chipping Barnet) Will the Secretary of State support Breast Cancer Now’s campaign to improve the uptake of breast cancer - Speech Link
2: Victoria Atkins (Con - Louth and Horncastle) That is because we are focused on delivering the dental recovery plan, rather than overpromising.The - Speech Link
3: Richard Burgon (Lab - Leeds East) Its three demands are: to provide access to an NHS dentist for everyone; to restore funding for dental - Speech Link
4: Victoria Atkins (Con - Louth and Horncastle) We switched on our fully funded dental recovery plan, in case the hon. - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Sweeney, Paul (Lab - Glasgow) The Government is driving NHS dental services into the ground. - Speech Link
2: Cole-Hamilton, Alex (LD - Edinburgh Western) During that debate, Maree Todd said:“NHS dental services are on the road to recovery.” - Speech Link
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the early detection of mouth cancer in the North East.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Every dental check-up constitutes as an oral cancer screening. Dentists and other dental professionals, including hygienists, routinely check the soft tissues of a patient’s mouth for signs of cancer during dental visits, and as part of the check-up, will make an assessment and record an individual’s oral cancer risk. Dentists will prioritise patients at a higher risk of cancer for more frequent recall and review, in line with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance.
In November 2022, the Government introduced a new package of measures across England, including the North East, to improve patient access to dental care. The measures include fairer pay for all National Health Service dentists to provide more complex dental care to those who need it most, and a requirement on dentists to update the NHS website regularly to make it clear which practices are taking on new patients and the services available, improving access.
To improve early detection of cancer, including oral cancer, we are implementing NHS England’s comprehensive early diagnosis strategy, which is based on six core strands of activity, from raising awareness of cancer symptoms and encouraging people to come forward, to implementing targeted interventions for particular cancer types that we know have previously experienced later stages of diagnosis, including oral cancers. NHS England has published an NHS mouth cancer awareness leaflet for dental teams, which is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mouth-cancer/
Mentions:
1: Gill Furniss (Lab - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough) We have also seen the provision of community dental services grind to a halt. - Speech Link
2: Grahame Morris (Lab - Easington) Oral cancer is one of the fastest rising types of cancer and kills more people than car accidents in - Speech Link
3: Sarah Edwards (Lab - Tamworth) I campaigned against the privatisation of cancer care services in Staffordshire and I am dismayed that - Speech Link
4: Alex Sobel (LAB - Leeds North West) Our communities deserve access to quality and affordable dental services. - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Kim Johnson (Lab - Liverpool, Riverside) What steps she is taking to improve the commissioning of primary care dental services for vulnerable - Speech Link
2: Steve Brine (Con - Winchester) The Government previously committed to publishing a dental recovery plan, which the former dental Minister - Speech Link
3: Justin Madders (Lab - Ellesmere Port and Neston) Does the Secretary of State agree that that money should be spent on dental services and that that instruction - Speech Link
4: Jeremy Quin (Con - Horsham) Lobular breast cancer treatment must be improved. - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Victoria Atkins (Con - Louth and Horncastle) His decision to share his diagnosis will be welcomed by anyone whose life has been touched by cancer, - Speech Link
2: Debbie Abrahams (Lab - Oldham East and Saddleworth) Last year, about half of my constituents were able to access dental services—well below pre-pandemic - Speech Link