Prime Minister talks dentistry and housing on visit to Cornwall

Rishi Sunak has visited a dentist in Newquay after yesterday's announcement of reforms

Rishi Sunak at Gentle Dental in Newquay
Author: Simon Mclean and Megan PricePublished 8th Feb 2024
Last updated 8th Feb 2024

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been to Cornwall today.

He’s spoken with staff and patients during a visit to Gentle Dental practice in Newquay and nursery staff at Nancledra Preschool.

During his visit, he spoke to the media on topics concerning people in Cornwall, including the availability of housing for local people.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "We've delivered a few different reforms, first legislating to councils the power to levy council tax premium of up to 100% on second home owners, secondly the delivery of a register of holiday home short term lets."

Yesterday, the Government announced a number of reforms to dentistry, including incentives to recruit dentists, and dental vans to visit underserved areas of the Duchy.

The PM said, "We want to make it as easy as possible, and the new funding that we've announced will I think make a significant difference, and soon. This is going to be rolled out imminently, and two and a half million more appointments to take us up to pre-covid levels of NHS denstistry is I think a significant step."

When speaking to Pirate FM, he told us: "It's part the impact that the pandemic had, it was very hard for that activity to go on and it led to a very large backlog. Making sure we attract dentists to work in underserved areas."

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