Labour propose Dentistry Rescue Plan as 80% of dentists in Crawley shut door on new adult patients

Labour have introduced a dentistry rescue plan so patients can get an NHS dentist again, as analysis reveals the overwhelming majority of local practices have shut their doors to new patients. 
 
Of the 15 (out of 16) dental surgeries in Crawley who provided an update, 12 (80%) of responding practices are not currently accepting any new adult patients.
 
The collapse of NHS dentistry has left millions of patients unable to get an appointment when they need one. 4.75 million people were either told there were no appointments available or the practice wasn’t taking on new patients.

Healthwatch England has reported horror stories of people forced to pull their own teeth out, with 1 in 10 Brits claiming to have attempted their own dental work.
 
Vast parts of England are now ‘dental deserts’, where no dentists are available. Across the South East, 87.6% of dentists have shut their doors to new adult patients. The government response has been to launch a pilot in Cornwall where NHS dentistry will only be offered to children and the most vulnerable.
 
Labour is promising to take immediate action to provide care for those in most urgent need, and long-term reform to restore NHS dentistry to all who need it.

The party’s plans include:

•  Funding NHS dental practices to provide 700,000 more urgent appointments, for patients in need of things like fillings and root canal.
• Reforming the dental contract to rebuild the service in the long-run, so NHS dentistry is there for all who need it.
• Incentivising new dentists to work in areas with the greatest need, to tackle the emergence of ‘dental deserts’ where no NHS dentists are taking on new patients.
•  The plans will cost £111 million a year in total and be funded by abolishing the non-dom tax status, which allows people who live and work in Britain to pay their taxes overseas.

Labours Parliamentary Candidate, Peter Lamb said:

“The Conservatives have let NHS dentistry wither on the vine, with many residents in Crawley now forced to go without or do it themselves. The horror that is DIY dentistry is now shockingly common and tooth decay is now the most common reason 6 to 10 year olds are admitted to hospital.

“Labour has a fully-costed plan to rescue NHS dentistry by gripping the immediate crisis and reforming the service in the long-term. We will provide 700,000 urgent appointments and recruit new dentists to the places most in need, paid for by abolishing the non-dom tax status.”