A scheme meant to spice up entry to NHS dentists beneath the final authorities seems to have “comprehensively failed”, MPs have stated
Launched in February final yr by Conservative well being ministers, the Dental Recovery Plan promised to introduce 1.5 million new therapies for sufferers and provided dentists a “bonus” to take NHS sufferers.
In response to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the scheme seems to have “resulted in worsening the image” greater than a yr later.
Below the Dental Restoration Plan, practices had been provided a brand new affected person premium (NPP) – which the PAC discovered price at the least £88m because it was launched and resulted in 3% fewer new sufferers seeing an NHS dentist.
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The plan’s “golden whats up” recruitment scheme had additionally been discovered to have appointed fewer than 20% of the anticipated 240 dentists by February this yr.
Their report, printed right now, additionally stated susceptible sufferers “proceed to endure essentially the most” and that the dental contract “stays unfit for objective”.
Present preparations are solely adequate for about half of England’s inhabitants to see an NHS dentist over two years, it added.
The PAC report additionally stated “it doesn’t seem” that NHS England or the Division of Well being and Social Care “have a way of what degree of funding would supply a practical incentive for dentists to prioritise NHS work”.
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‘NHS dentistry is damaged’
PAC chairman Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown stated: “It’s completely disgraceful that, within the twenty first century, some Britons have been pressured to take away their very own enamel.
“Final yr’s Dental Restoration Plan was supposed to deal with these issues, one thing our report has discovered it has signally didn’t do.
“Nearly unbelievably, the federal government’s initiatives seem to have truly resulted in worsening the image, with fewer new sufferers seen because the plan’s introduction.”
He added: “NHS dentistry is damaged. The federal government may hardly fail to agree on this level, and certainly I’m glad that it’s not in denial that the time for tinkering on the edges is over.
“It’s time for giant choices.”
A Division of Well being and Social Care spokesperson stated the Labour authorities “inherited a damaged NHS dental sector” and was fixing it by way of its Plan for Change.
It stated that in February, it had delivered on its manifesto pledge by rolling out 700,000 additional pressing appointments and pledged to introduce a brand new supervised toothbrushing scheme for 3 to five-year-olds.
