The UK government’s plan to increase NHS dental treatments by 1.5 million in 2024-25 is unlikely to meet its goal, according to a report by the National Audit Office (NAO). The £200m rescue package aimed at boosting access to NHS dentistry this year is also not on track. Experts have called for more fundamental reform of the NHS dental contract, citing the need for policies that are both funded and ambitious.
Reactions
Shawn Charlwood, of the British Dental Association, said the NAO report showed more fundamental reform of the NHS dental contract was needed.
- “We warned at the outset that this recovery plan was unworthy of the title. Unfunded, unambitious policies failed to make a dent in a crisis hitting millions.”
Louise Ansari, of the patient watchdog Healthwatch England, said she agreed NHS dentistry needed to be urgently reformed.
Criticisms
More than a fifth of dentists are thought to do solely private work, and critics have described the plan as “unambitious”.
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The plan included a £5 increase to £28 for each unit of NHS activity alongside a premium payment worth up to £50 to see patients who had not seen an NHS dentist for two years.
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By September 2024, there had been an increase in the number of dental practices taking on new NHS patients, but this has still not led to an increase in treatments being done beyond what would have been expected without the extra payments.
Quotes from Experts
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“Unfunded, unambitious policies failed to make a dent in a crisis hitting millions.” – Louise Ansari, Healthwatch England
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“Overall, the NAO paints a picture of delayed and confused efforts.” – Louise Ansari, Healthwatch England
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“This government is committed to rebuilding dentistry, but it will take time.” – Stephen Kinnock, Health Minister
Further Measures Needed
The British Dental Association has called for more fundamental reform of the NHS dental contract, citing the need for policies that are both funded and ambitious. The patient watchdog Healthwatch England agrees that NHS dentistry needs to be urgently reformed.
Key Points
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The £200m rescue package is not on track.
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The target of 1.5 million extra treatments in 2024-25 will likely be missed.
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No new dental vans are yet in operation.
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More fundamental reform of the NHS dental contract is needed.
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Experts agree that NHS dentistry needs to be urgently reformed.
Background
The Conservative government published a dental recovery plan in February, setting a target of 1.5 million extra treatments in 2024-25. To achieve this goal, dentists were offered an increase in payments for seeing NHS patients and a premium top-up payment of up to £50 for taking on new patients. Mobile dental vans were also due to be rolled out to target areas with the worst access.
Current Status
However, the National Audit Office (NAO) says slow progress means those goals for this year will likely be missed. The NAO acknowledges that the general election is a factor but notes that the new government must reflect on the long-standing problems in NHS dentistry.
Targets and Progress
The target to increase the number of treatments by 1.5 million to 37.1 million this year would still leave the NHS below the activity levels seen in 2018-19. Despite an increase in dental practices taking on new NHS patients, there has been no corresponding increase in treatments beyond what would have been expected without the extra payments.
Recommendations
The NAO also noted that no new dental vans were in operation yet – these mobile units were seen as key part of the solution to boosting access in the areas most struggling. The plan also included some longer-term measures, including “golden hellos” of £20,000 to recruit dentists to work in specific regions over three years, and Smile for Life – a dental decay prevention scheme targeted at young children.
The £200m rescue package to increase access to NHS dentistry this year is not on track, a spending watchdog says. The Conservative government published a dental recovery plan in February, setting a target of 1.5 million extra treatments in 2024-25.
Progress
However, slow progress means those goals for this year will likely be missed. The NAO acknowledges the general election is a factor, but says the new government must reflect on the long-standing problems in NHS dentistry. The target to increase the number of treatments by 1.5 million to 37.1 million this year would still leave the NHS below the activity levels seen in 2018-19.
According to the National Audit Office (NAO), The £200m rescue package to increase access to NHS dentistry this year is not on track, a spending watchdog says. The Conservative government published a dental recovery plan in February, setting a target of 1.5 million extra treatments in 2024-25.
The dental recovery plan published by the Conservative government in February set a target of 1.5 million extra treatments in 2024-25. To achieve that, dentists were offered an increase in payments for seeing NHS patients as well as a premium top-up payment of up to £50 for taking on new patients. Mobile dental vans were also due to be rolled out to target the areas with the worst access.
