Meeting of the Parliament 08 February 2023
That can be supported only through a greater emphasis on private treatments and by putting many deserving, but non-urgent, NHS patients on an indefinite waiting list until something gives.
There is also a lack of dental nurses and dentists, which means that many practices are unsustainable and will fold. Recent data indicates that claims submitted by NHS dentists for dental work are 43 per cent down on 2019 levels and suggests a growing exodus from the NHS workforce.
Across his health and social care brief, the cabinet secretary is responsible for multiple failures. It is time for the Government to work with dentists to prevent a collapse of NHS dentistry and to provide the sector with adequate financial support so that it can continue to offer NHS dentistry. I make this plea: heed the words of the professionals and deliver the care.
I declare my interest as a practising NHS general practitioner.
I move amendment S6M-07812.2, to insert at end:
“; believes that a root and branch reform of dental tariffs is required to ensure that dentists can holistically manage oral health; recognises what it sees as increasingly worrying reports from dentists of poor child oral hygiene, especially in areas with higher deprivation, and a growing requirement for early tooth extractions, and believes that the Scottish Government’s lack of a dentistry recovery plan will only exacerbate this growing health inequality.”
15:45Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.