Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 1:31 pm on 11 May 2022.
Diolch, Weinidog. Swansea bay community health council's new report 'Accessing NHS Dental Care: Getting to the Root of the Problem' paints a damning picture of dental services in the Swansea and Neath Port Talbot areas. It emphasises these issues were present before the pandemic exacerbated them. Patients have had to wait years to see a dentist, many not having been able to get an appointment at all. The report found that 70 per cent of people feel pressure to seek private dental care in order to get an appointment. They can't access NHS dental services, including pregnant women and children. And patients with serious medical issues that require regular check-ups are being denied vital appointments. One patient said, 'My bridge fell out at the beginning of 2020, I'm still without it. It affects my confidence. I can't smile. I can't laugh.' In another case, a man was left to pull his own tooth from his mouth, and we know there are cases reported of this. And I heard similar accounts from hundreds of my constituents in response to a survey I conducted. One patient also told me he'd been automatically de-registered as he hadn't been seen in two years, although he'd been shielding for most of those two years. So, I welcome the Government's recently announced plan to improve dental care, but I'd like to know how the contract reform is going to adequately and urgently address all of the concerns reflected in the report, which are replicated all over Wales, and have been raised by many Members in this Chamber. Is there sufficient funding to increase NHS capacity to end this unjust postcode lottery, and ensure those who cannot afford to pay, or who cannot find an NHS dentist, receive the care they're entitled to?