Anna Sabine MP warns new NHS figures show direct link between lack of dentists and need for emergency care
Anna Sabine MP warns new NHS figures show direct link between lack of dentists and need for emergency care
New figures released by the NHS show that the south west remains among the most poorly served areas for affordable dentistry. Whilst the south west has been previously flagged as having minimal access to NHS dentists, new figures released by the NHS show the seemingly direct effect this has on the high rate of dental and oral related injury admitted into emergency care.
Having spoken previously in the Lib Dem’s Opposition Day debate on dentistry about the “dental desert” of Somerset, Anna Sabine MP for Frome and East Somerset has warned of the cumulative effect poor oral health can have in contributing to larger health problems. Warning that access to dentistry for those in the Somerset must be assured “before they reach crisis point”.
The recently released figures, however, show that in places like Somerset where the dental activity delivery rate is less than 70%, the number of people visiting A&E for dental related issues can be as many as 500 per 100 000 people. This is comparative to areas with a higher percentage of dentist availability who have less than 80 people admitted to A&E with dental related injury.
The extra strain put on A&E staff who are already working to their limit is directly linked to poor primary care and Somerset is suffering as a result. Anna said of the situation,
“The lack of access to primary care and NHS dentists not only undermines Somerset healthcare, but also shows a complete mismanagement of financing of the system. We need to start front-loading our NHS so that people can access healthcare when they need it and prevent illnesses from deteriorating further. This not only fails the suffering, but also fails the taxpayer and the emergency healthcare staff who have to deal with the consequences”.
Oral care for adults and children is crucial to ensuring overall health and needs to be addressed in order to help prevent further issues developing in an already overworked system.
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