New contract restricts access to NHS dentists - Gidley

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 19th May 2006

Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson, Sandra Gidley MP

Figures released today by Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson, Sandra Gidley MP, show that the new NHS dental contracts provide only one check-up per year for each patient.

The new NHS dental contracts annual allocation of Units of Dental Activity translates into an average of 1.4 UDAs per person in England. This is only enough for one check up, per person, per year with no further work done.

These figures also show that over a third of dental practises who signed the new contract did so in dispute, whilst 13% of contracts were rejected altogether.

A separate Liberal Democrat survey of Strategic Health Authorities has also revealed regional variations, with 87 dental practices (40%) rejecting the new contract in one Strategic Health Authority alone.

Commenting, Sandra Gidley MP said "The fact that almost one third of contracts have been signed in dispute illustrates the sorry state of the relationship between dentists and the Department of Health. How on earth can capacity be increased when half of contracts have either been rejected or signed in dispute?

"In September 1999 Tony Blair promised that by 2001 everyone who wanted access to an NHS dentist would have it. With the newly dreamt up concept of 'Units of Dental Activity', the Government is strictly rationing access to NHS dentists and doing nothing for preventative oral health.

"This is indicative of Labour's failure to restore the NHS to what it should be: a universal, comprehensive service that provides ongoing health care to everyone who needs it".