NHS dentistry moving in right direction - Streeting

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said NHS dentistry is "moving in the right direction" but that it was "shameful" if people had to pull out their own teeth due to a lack of dentists.

He told BBC Radio Cornwall presenter Julie Skentelbery that NHS dentistry was "still a far, far cry away" from where he would like it to be.

Streeting said he wanted to "give a shout-out" to South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust - currently rated as the worst in the country for overall performance.

He said: "Ambulances arrived in December 27 minutes faster. [it's] A real testament to the work that South Western Ambulance Service has done, but for all of that progress there is so much more to do."

When asked by Skentelbery to describe the state of the NHS as if it were a patient, Streeting said it was "recovering, but not out of the woods".

"We've seen real progress right across the country, we've seen waiting lists fall and that's reflected in Cornwall," he said.

Responding to a question from Skentelbury about patients having to pull out their own teeth, Streeting said: "I really do think it's shameful.

"It's going to take time to rebuild NHS dentistry. The North Cornwall dental group is trying to bring together dentists, health partners and community organisations to improve dentistry in Cornwall

"This is a national challenge as well. We are moving in the right direction on dentistry."

Streeting said the geography of Cornwall posed challenges for healthcare, as did the county having only one hospital, and the government wanted to see a shift towards treatment in the community.

"We want to expand neighbourhood health provisions right across Cornwall so people can get care a lot closer to home and in their own home where it's safe and appropriate to do so," he added.

Looking to the future, the minister said he wanted to see "faster diagnosis, faster access to treatment and trying to avoid sickness altogether".

Referencing his treatment for kidney cancer, Streeting said: "The thing I value most above all else about the NHS is whenever you fall ill, you never have to worry about the bill."

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].