"Price shake-up will put bite on dental patients", say Lib Dems (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

"Price shake-up will put bite on dental patients", say Lib Dems

July 7, 2004 1:24 PM

NHS dentistry: another kick in the teeth from Labour

Islington Liberal Democrats have slammed moves by the Labour government to more than double the price of NHS dental checks and to tell people to visit the dentist just once every two years.

Labour health ministers are currently studying a report recommending the current 90-page schedule of 400 dental charges be replaced with three flat fees for standard examinations, fillings/simple treatments and more complex treatments. Some of the fees being considered would be nearly three times the existing charges. No date has been set for a final decision by the government.

Figures released previously by local Lib Dem campaigner Bridget Fox showed that nearly six out of 10 high street dentists are threatening to reduce their NHS commitment or quit completely. Figures also showed that over three in five adults and two in five children in Islington are not registered with an NHS dentist.

Liberal Democrat councillor Bridget Fox, said:

"If ministers are seriously considering hiking up charges, this will be yet another kick in the teeth for the dental health of Islington's residents.

"The simple truth is that we don't have enough NHS dentists to go round in Islington. Tony Blair promised years ago that everyone would have access to an NHS dentist. Now it seems that those lucky enough to find an NHS dentist locally will have to pay more for the privilege of doing so.

"Islington is one of the most deprived boroughs in the country and many people cannot afford to pay for private treatment. The risk is that desperate patients are being forced to get private dental care and then faced with a massive bill at the end of it. This is just the situation the NHS set up by Labour is supposed to avoid."

The Facts

Under the plans, a standard examination would go up from £5.64 to around £12. Fillings and other simple treatments will cost £40 - up from around £15 - while the most complex procedures would be capped at £120. Patients with healthy mouths would be advised to visit the dentist just once every two years, rather than every six months at present.