Relief could be in store for thousands of local people seeking NHS dental care, with a new practice set to open.
Prospective Winchester MP Steve Brine welcomed news of the new centre which could treat up to 9,500 people each year according to the Hampshire Primary Care Trust, which is funding the scheme. It is taking bids from dentists who want to run the service, which could open by March 2010.
Natalie Jones, lead commissioning manager of primary care dental services for NHS Hampshire, said treating more patients was a priority; "Since 2006 we have committed £15m to do this and have prioritised areas across Hampshire on clinical need and current access. As part of this ongoing assessment Winchester and the surrounding rural area has been identified as one of a number of priority areas."
Health bosses are yet to decide where to put the surgery, and patients will not be able to register until it opens. It will be the first time since Hampshire PCT was formed in 2006 that a new NHS dentist has opened in the district.
At present, 11 Winchester surgeries treat NHS patients, and new ones are only taken on when spaces arise. Patients seeking places have to keep asking, as Hampshire PCT does not keep a waiting list.
Age Concern Hampshire says the lack of spaces is a major concern for pensioners. It was listed as the eighth biggest problem in a survey by the charity, just behind utility bills and council tax. Its director, Chris Perry, said: "I think it's virtually impossible to find a place in Winchester. We're delighted that they're going to open a new surgery as it's a major concern for older people, especially with the cost of dentistry. A lot of people have money tied up in property and you can't spend your house on dental care."
Prospective local MP Steve Brine said; “This is good news and I would agree with Chris Perry because all our surveys show access to an NHS dentist is right up there among concerns among the public. I think at the end of the day we can all wave banners about this kind of thing and claim to ‘campaign’ for them but its action that matters. I am full of praise for the PCT for responding in this way but I am concerned that it won’t be sustainable and able to meet growing need in the long-term. We need a Government committed to making access to NHS dentistry a priority and backing it with real funding.
“After the next election we will either have a Labour Government that has comprehensively failed in this area, despite Tony Blair’s famous pledge that everyone would have such access, or a change of direction with David Cameron and the Conservatives. We have pledged a new Conservative government would restore access to an NHS dentist for the one million patients who have lost it under Labour’s failed bureaucratic system. We have also outlined plans to ensure taxpayer-trained dentists work for the NHS for at least five years, create new incentives for dentists to spend more time on preventative dental care and reintroduce dental screening for children in schools.
"I hope local people will be re-assured by our plans if we win the next election.”
When the new surgery opens, Hampshire PCT hopes it will operate seven days a week. Patients who want to know if NHS dental places are available near them can call 0845 050 8345.