Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 23 February 2022
The cabinet secretary needs to think about how businesses work. One working day’s notice is absolutely not enough to allow them to work.
Indeed, there is a risk of an exodus from the workforce, which would mean families losing access to local NHS dentistry altogether. That would hit hardest those in the most deprived communities. We must send a clear message to dental practices and patients that the Parliament is serious about tackling the colossal backlog of unmet treatment and that we have clear ideas about how to ensure a future for NHS dentistry in Scotland for the benefit of the Scottish people.
With dentists having to ventilate rooms for at least 10 minutes between appointments—time that they are not paid for—their hourly rate has reduced considerably. To help, the Scottish Government committed £5 million for ventilation improvements, but if we read the small print, we find that that support is limited to £1,500 per surgery. Dentists say that significant improvements to increase patient flow would cost at least six times that amount, but the Scottish Government is patting itself on the back. Given the issues with schools, I cannot help but wonder what ventilation measures the Government had in mind.
The cost of everything is going up, from disposables to utility bills and dental laboratory fees. The Scottish Government might wish to speak about record high support and investment in incentives in NHS dentistry, but is that spending effective? Is it actually solving anything? If we listen to the professionals who are delivering dental care or look at the Government’s own statistics, we find that the answer is no. More than 3.5 million NHS dental appointments were lost during 2021, and that backlog will continue to grow unless the Scottish Government listens and opens itself up to some fresh thinking.
Patients are suffering. Families are not able to see their dentists. Kids are going without check-ups. The rate of oral cancer in Scotland is twice the rate in the rest of the United Kingdom. The Government has remained silent on that for too long.
Two years ago, at the start of the pandemic, the Scottish Government came up with an emergency funding package for NHS dentistry. It was a typical knee-jerk reaction and, according to dental professionals, it was not fit for purpose. It was a start. However, it is bitterly disappointing that, two years later, there is not an interim package on offer that could pave the way for a longer-term solution. Patients need holistic oral healthcare.