Norfolk MP says he'll push for local dental school to be open within the decade
Last year- over 1,000 people in Norfolk had to go to A&E because of their dental problems.
One of Norfolk's recently elected MP is telling us that he'll be pushing for a new dental school in the county to be up and running within the decade.
Norfolk and Waveney has the worst 'NHS dentist to patient' ratio in the country, according to Government figures With just one practitioner for every 2,776 people.
Last year- over 1,000 people in the county had to go to A&E because of their dental problems.
Clive Lewis MP has admitted that the project is “not a done deal”, after five of Norfolk's MPs met to discuss these plans with Stephen Kinnock, minister of state for care, this week.
"I think the Government know that this is at the heart of the problem"t
Steff told us about what needs to be done, before this:
"In the short-term, we have to focus on putting aside money for emergency treatment facilities. That's starting to happen now, it's now possible to get these appointments via 111, locally.
"In the medium term, we have got to renew the dental contract and also reform it, so that it's viable for dentists to offer NHS patient appointments.
"The perfect dental contract pays on a rate card, in the same where that you'd walk into a restaurant and see different prices on different items on the menu.
"I think the Government know that this is at the heart of the problem, the question is how quickly are they going to do something about it".
What has the Government said on this?
Labour's 2024 manifesto featured their 'Dentistry Rescue Plan', which featured plans to:
-Fill the gap of appointments with an extra 700,000 urgent and emergency dental appointments a year
-Flood dental deserts with new dentistry graduates, with golden hellos of £20,000 for those who spend at least three years working in underserved areas
-Supervised toothbrushing for 3- to 5-year-olds, to prevent children forced to hospital to have their rotting teeth pulled out
-Reform of the dental contract, to rebuild NHS dentistry and make sure everyone who needs a dentist can get one.