MP tackles Minister after further NHS dental closures

Local Lib Dem MP Lisa Smart has written to Dental Minister Stephen Kinnock to challenge the Government’s failure to increase NHS dental provision after another local practice informed patients that they were cutting their provision. 

Almost two years into the Labour Government, critical changes to the NHS dental contract that would make it cost effective for dentists to provide NHS services have still not been made. 

Lisa Smart, the MP for Hazel Grove constituency, said: “We have already lost all NHS provision in some areas, and the news that another local practice is reducing their provision is a real kick in the teeth. 

“Ministers keep telling me that they are doing their best, but all I am seeing is provision ending. There are clear routes to improve this, but the Government is instead persisting with approaches which are demonstrably not working.”

There are substantial delays with red tape which are preventing dentists on work visas being able to move to practices where they are needed, and the Government’s “golden hello” scheme has provided only a fraction of the intended number of new dentists and none in Stockport. 

Lisa Smart added: “This is having a measurable impact on people’s dental health. Our health survey last year showed the number of people who are struggling to access NHS dentists, and it is only getting worse. This Government needs to just knuckle down and accept that they need to go further and faster on improvements.”