Just one in three patients in Shropshire seen by NHS dentist in past two years
The number of people able to see an NHS dentist in Shropshire has plummeted in recent years, new figures show.
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has described the lack of appointments as a “scandal” and highlighted fears that increasing numbers of people are turning to DIY dentistry.
Only 35.4% of adults in Shropshire were able to secure an appointment with an NHS dentist in the past two years. This is down from 48.3% who saw an NHS dentist in the two years up to 2018.
Meanwhile only half (49.8%) of the children in Shropshire have been able to see a dentist in the last 12 months, despite the NHS recommending under-18s see a dentist at least once a year. This is down from 60% of children who had seen an NHS dentist in the year to 2018.
The stark figures were compiled by the House of Commons Library following a request by the Liberal Democrats.
There is only one dentist for every 1,891 patients across the NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin area and polling has found that one in five (21%) adults unable to see a dentist in the UK have carried out DIY dentistry in a desperate attempt to relieve their pain.
The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to set out an NHS winter rescue plan to provide urgent help to those living in dental agony. This would also include immediate action to reduce dangerously long ambulance waiting times and speed up access to healthcare for the almost seven million people stuck on NHS waiting lists.
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan said: “Far too many people in North Shropshire and across the country are finding it impossible to access an NHS dentist and get the affordable care they need.
“Countless constituents have contacted me saying they are unable to find a dentist who will take them on and yet the Government has once again been missing in action.
“As inflation continues to spiral and bills get higher and higher, the cost of private dentistry means many people are being forced to live in pain.
“The fact that others are turning to desperate DIY dentistry is a scandal for which successive Conservative Governments are responsible.
“The Liberal Democrats are urging the Government to fund an NHS winter rescue package to improve access to NHS dental appointments, reduce ambulance waiting times and speed up treatment for those who need it.”
