News Release

25th November 2004

NHS DENTISTS

"As most people in Lichfield, Burntwood and throughout the midlands will tell you, it's hard to find an NHS dentist nowadays. I am already receiving many letters from constituents about this", says Michael Fabricant. "And today (25th November), a report by the National Audit Office has warned that Tony Blair’s plans to reform dentistry in the NHS could lead to dentists spending even less time working for the NHS. This will make the already bad situation, worse. Currently, nine out of ten dentists believe that Primary Care Trusts will be unable to cope with the new tasks the reforms would impose on them.

"I believe a new approach is needed to tackle the problem in NHS dentistry. Changes are needed. A Conservative government would introduce a contract between patient and practice: people will be clear about the level of service they are entitled to and the cost of any payments which they might be expected to meet. Patients will be able to decide how they pay, either on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis, or by monthly instalment. Patients will not be expected to pay costs exceeding £378 per year which would be covered by the monthly fee. Exemptions will be made for all patients over the age of 75 so they would have to pay nothing.

"And dentists would enjoy security of funding too by moving away from the current system under which dentists are paid for each treatment that they give, to an overall fee that reflects the number of patients registered with them. This will give dentists the security of a steady income providing they retain the confidence of patients. This will help keep dentists in the NHS" adds Michael.

The facts are these:

• A recent survey by the British Dental Association (May 2004) said that 60 per cent of dentists would either reduce their NHS work or quit the NHS altogether.

• 1,000 full-time dentists are leaving the NHS for exclusively private practice each year – and have been doing so since 2000 (British Dental Association, Evidence to the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body, October 2003, p.5).

• Fewer people are registered with an NHS dentist than in 1996. 45% of adults and 61% of children are registered today (Dental Practice Board, Registrations as at December 2003), compared with 52% and 62.2% respectively in 1997.