Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:31 pm on 5 July 2022.
I'm grateful to the First Minister for his answer, but I can't exactly say I share his optimism about the dental industry here in Wales. The most obvious example that we're facing a crisis in dentistry is the sheer number of questions that you and the health Minister have faced from Members in recent months on the subject. My colleague Sam Rowlands asked you about the situation in north Wales last week, and, unfortunately, it's an issue prevalent in my region too. Broadlands Dental Surgery in Bridgend has now terminated its contract with the NHS via the health board, citing problems with the way the NHS dental contracts are structured. The health board have said they'll try and find patients a new NHS dentist, but, in reality, given the current the situation, we know it means they'll be added to a waiting list, which is often years long. And instead, patients are being encouraged to take up often expensive private dental cover just to keep the level of service they enjoyed before. So, with dental waiting lists getting longer, fewer and fewer dentists offering places for NHS patients, and a third fewer dental treatments taking place compared to a decade ago, First Minister, one thing is quite clear: you're privatising dentistry in Wales by the back door. First Minister, when will your Government get a grip on the crisis in dentistry in Wales, and what action are you taking to fix it right now?