The revelation that over £400 million of funding for NHS dentistry in England has gone unspent in 2022-23 has been condemned by a health lobbying group.
A Freedom of Information request to the British Dental Association (BDA) uncovered the shortfall, caused by a lack of NHS dentists available to carry out much needed work, the Health Service Journal reports.
The figure amounts to around ten per cent of the NHS dental budget and has been described as an “absolute scandal” by campaigning group Healthwatch.
Most notably, this shortfall is not due to any lack of patient need. BDA chair Eddie Couch said: “It’s not because there’s any lack of demand for dentistry, it’s simply that practices are working to a failed contract and can’t fill vacancies.”
Indeed, the only good news to emerge from the situation, the publication reports, is that the funds have been re-absorbed by NHS England to help with its pressured budgets in other areas.
Faced with such a problem, those who do need dental treatment in this area will be best served by seeing a private dentist in Bishop’s Waltham.
The importance of the private dental sector has grown due to the problems with the dental contract, which was introduced in 2006 amid much controversy and remains a bone of contention for many practices.
Indeed, such problems are not just being seen in England. The Welsh government is seeking to reform the system there, but, as Dentistry Magazine reports, this is proving unpopular.
Around 70 per cent of Welsh practices anticipate being hit with financial penalties under the new targets, with only 39 per cent planning to remain in the programme in 2023-24. In addition, over 30 per cent plan to reduce their NHS contract in 2023-24 and 13 per cent plan to end their NHS contract at the end of the current year.