<p>Orthodontic Services in the Hywel Dda Local Health Board Area</p>

Part of 2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport – in the Senedd at 2:52 pm on 7 December 2016.

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Photo of Mr Simon Thomas Mr Simon Thomas Plaid Cymru 2:52, 7 December 2016

Well, they certainly need to improve the service some considerable matter. Can I bring your attention and that of the Chamber to my constituent and the Presiding Officer’s constituent as well, Sheila Joseph, whose 15-year-old son was referred to an orthodontist for consultation for braces? He was told, living in Ceredigion, he would have a three-year waiting list to get braces fitted, whereas in Powys the waiting list is 8 weeks. She decided to spend £3,000 to have private treatment as she couldn’t wait for him to be an adult before he got braces. She now has to travel a round trip every few weeks to Carmarthen simply to have a five minute appointment to have them adjusted, because there is no outreach clinic for orthodontics available in Ceredigion. So, what steps are you taking with the health board, Minister, to ensure that first of all we get an outreach clinic, so that we don’t have the ridiculous three-hour journeys just to get braces adjusted and, secondly, to cut the waiting list in Ceredigion so it’s more commensurate with the waiting lists in other parts of mid Wales?