Dentists 'prioritise patients easier to treat'

Dentists are prioritising patients who are easier to treat as it is not worth their time to tackle more complex issues, health managers say.

Practices get the same NHS funding whether a patient needs a check-up or multiple fillings, which results in those with more complex issues often struggling to get an appointment.

Charmaine Hawker, director of primary care commissioning and contracting for Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board, said practices had been managed via a national contract and there had been limited reform to it since 2006.

She stated the board had gone "above and beyond" to pay practices more per "unit of dental activity" than the standard amount set nationally.

Commissioners from the ICB were questioned by councillors at a health overview and scrutiny committee meeting.

Councillor Peter Turner said: "I've heard various stories that trying to get an NHS dentist is proving quite difficult and it's not worthwhile for practitioners to take on NHS patients because it's not financially prudent to do so."

"You're right," Turner was told by the director, who stated a year ago Worcestershire was bottom in the West Midlands for access to NHS dentistry, but had moved up three places.

"What we're finding is many practices are seeing patients with less complex needs, because the contract does not reward them for seeing patients with complex needs."

The director stated contract changes were being implemented from April and dentists would be required to set aside 8% of treatments for urgent cases.

Commissioners also now have more powers to take NHS contracts away from underperforming practices, allowing them to reinvest that money elsewhere.

Satinder Bell, Worcestershire County Council cabinet member for health said schools were educating children about better dental health, but practices could be doing more.

"Dental work is all about prevention and here it is a Catch-22.

"They're not seeing you to do the majority of work, which is preventative work to keep your teeth healthy, and then it becomes a complex problem and they're not going to see you anyway."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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