NHS 'dental crisis' in West
From the Belfast Telegraph
Monday, July 02, 2007
By Claire Regan
Private practice has squeezed NHS dental work to such an extent that there is no longer one providing the service in Fermanagh, an SDLP MLA said.
Assemblyman Tommy Gallagher said he was extremely concerned about the lack of availability of NHS dental treatment to patients right across Northern Ireland because of a growing emphasis among dentists on private practice.
The Fermanagh/South Tyrone MLA said people in his constituency, particularly the elderly, are having "great difficulty" finding an NHS dentist to treat them within the county or in an emergency.
"Some patients are having to travel outside the county, which is not an ideal situation if you're an elderly person who can't drive," said the Stormont health committee member.
"There isn't a dental practice in Fermanagh that doesn't have a large element of private practice. There is clearly a demand for private treatment and dentists are responding to that.
"The problem is that NHS patients are being squeezed out. This problem is not unique to Fermanagh."
He urged Health Minister Michael McGimpsey to deal urgently with the matter.
"In the short-term, we need dentists to be employed by the NHS to carry out work in each of the health board areas or in key locations of need, " he said.
"In the longer term, the Department of Health needs to be sorting out proper contracts with dentists so they can deliver NHS treatment in a different way to which it is now being done."
The politician said the importance of oral health to general health should not be underestimated.
He and his party colleague Carmel Hanna have tabled an Assembly motion on the issue.
Monday, July 02, 2007
By Claire Regan
Private practice has squeezed NHS dental work to such an extent that there is no longer one providing the service in Fermanagh, an SDLP MLA said.
Assemblyman Tommy Gallagher said he was extremely concerned about the lack of availability of NHS dental treatment to patients right across Northern Ireland because of a growing emphasis among dentists on private practice.
The Fermanagh/South Tyrone MLA said people in his constituency, particularly the elderly, are having "great difficulty" finding an NHS dentist to treat them within the county or in an emergency.
"Some patients are having to travel outside the county, which is not an ideal situation if you're an elderly person who can't drive," said the Stormont health committee member.
"There isn't a dental practice in Fermanagh that doesn't have a large element of private practice. There is clearly a demand for private treatment and dentists are responding to that.
"The problem is that NHS patients are being squeezed out. This problem is not unique to Fermanagh."
He urged Health Minister Michael McGimpsey to deal urgently with the matter.
"In the short-term, we need dentists to be employed by the NHS to carry out work in each of the health board areas or in key locations of need, " he said.
"In the longer term, the Department of Health needs to be sorting out proper contracts with dentists so they can deliver NHS treatment in a different way to which it is now being done."
The politician said the importance of oral health to general health should not be underestimated.
He and his party colleague Carmel Hanna have tabled an Assembly motion on the issue.
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