Stop start, hand-to-mouth dental service must end

Tuesday, 10, Nov 2009 12:00

News of another NHS dental practice closure and more local patients having to depend on the emergency services will cause real hardship and health risks, local MP, Andrew George has warned.

Local Health Commissioner, Antek Lejk, informed Mr George at the weekend that the Morrab Dental Practice in Penzance will withdraw from its contract in early 2010 and that patients will have to use the emergency dentist until a new arrangement is in place.

Mr George, who is an officer of the Parliamentary Dental Services Group and who hosted a visit of the Government’s Independent Commissioner, Professor Jimmy Steele, earlier this year, has now written to the Secretary of State the Rt. Hon Andy Burnham MP calling upon him to give Cornwall the resources to bring it’s NHS dentistry ‘at least up to a level most other places take for granted.’

Mr George said:

“By any measure Cornish patients are poorly served. New contracts, followed by review, followed by another team of Ministers has given the Government a series of excuses which have now worn thin.

“I admire the attempt of the PCT to put a brave face on it. But even they have to admit that if we had a fair share of resources and the Government gave us the money they now admit we deserve, we wouldn’t be in this pickle. You can’t run a decent dental service in a hand-to-mouth environment.”