Dentistry gaps 'remain a challenge' in rural parts
PA MediaNHS bosses have admitted it is proving difficult to fill gaps in dentistry provision in rural parts of a county, with hiring and retention issues blamed.
Parts of Northumberland have previously been labelled "dental deserts" due to a lack of services.
A recent county council meeting heard there were challenges around hiring and keeping experienced staff, with the impact of the Covid pandemic still having an effect.
In December, the government unveiled plans to tackle dentistry access problems including new incentives for the NHS dental contract and more support to improve staff retention.
Funding to support sick leave and guidance on NHS contractual terms and benefits has also been promised.
Speaking at the council's health and wellbeing scrutiny committe meeting, Pauline Fletcher, from the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), said national reform was "under way".
"Professionals feel it doesn't go far enough and more radical change is needed, but there is significant reforms that will help the situation," she said.
'Much more demand'
The ICB has been forced to increase the minimum rate paid to practices to deliver services and even offer loyalty payments in a bid to retain existing dentists.
Fletcher, who is its strategic head of dental contracting, said that Covid and its impact on dentistry continued to be an issue.
"Believe it or not, Covid and the impact on dentistry is still an issue," she said.
"We still have a significant amount of patients with high dental needs and a much more increased demand than prior to Covid for urgent care," she said.
"Workforce retention and recruitment is an issue. There has been a shift towards more private dental care and we have seen a number of dental practices that have exited the NHS altogether.
"Across the North East and Cumbria, particularly in rural areas, we have struggled to get interest to provide capacity when it has been lost."
She added there were practices which were unable to deliver the full level of contract activity commissioned from them.
"All of these issues are really impacting on our ability to get service to where it was pre-Covid," Fletcher said.
Locally, because of a lack of interest in new practices, the ICB has been out to existing practices in Northumberland to see if they can deliver "additional activity".
Seven have agreed an uplift, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
Expressions of interest are also being sought to replace losses in Cramlington.
