Debate contribution: Dental Services: Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Debate contribution by Miss Jemma Dolan on .
- MLA
- Miss Jemma Dolan
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 25 February 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Adjournment
- Heading
- Dental Services: Fermanagh and South Tyrone
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4815549
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank my constituency colleague for securing the Adjournment debate, and I thank the Minister for attending this evening. The significant shortage of NHS dental places in Fermanagh has left many of my constituents struggling to access essential dental care, leading to prolonged suffering and, in some cases, the exacerbation of preventable oral health problems. In October 2023, I raised the matter with the then permanent secretary of the Department of Health, and again, in February 2024, I posed the question to the then Minister of Health, enquiring about the measures that were being taken to increase the number of NHS dentists. The Minister acknowledged that a key factor contributing to the access issues was the inadequate rates that were being paid to our dentists for treatment. He emphasised that the absence of Ministers had impeded the progression of the recommended pay uplifts for the 2023-24 period but assured me that the matter was an immediate priority. Most dentists want to continue delivering NHS dentistry not only because they are committed to their patient base but because dental practices are small businesses. For the past decade, uplifts in fees have failed to keep pace with inflation. As a result, many dentists are being forced to reconsider their future because the numbers that NHS dentistry are based on increasingly do not add up. The current NHS dental contract, which was introduced in 1990, is antiquated and is not fit for purpose. Dental fees have no correlation with the true cost of delivering modern dental care. The contract is not reflective of the changing demographics within and without dentistry. To increase access to NHS dentistry for patients, we must make NHS dentistry an area where people want to work and make the service financially viable. The response so far has been wholly inadequate, forcing many dentists to lose confidence in the deeply broken system. I urge the Minister to explore the reinstatement of the financial support schemes that have previously bolstered our dental services. Collaborative efforts with educational institutions to train and place new dentists in our region could also serve as a long-term solution to the ongoing crisis. Access to dental care is not a luxury. It is a fundamental aspect of our health and well-being, so I urge the Minister to work to ensure that every resident of Fermanagh and South Tyrone can smile with confidence knowing that their dental health needs are met promptly and effectively.
407 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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