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A MEMBER OF the Senedd (MS) says a Wrexham dental practice's decision to stop treating patients on the NHS will have a 'big impact locally'. Ken Skates, MS for Clwyd South, has recently made urgent representations to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) and Welsh Government Health Minister Jeremy Miles after Dant y Coed Dental Practice in Coedpoeth chose to hand back its NHS contract earlier this year. Mr Skates said the decision would affect thousands of people in his constituency, with a number of them having already reached out to him to share their concerns.
“There’s no doubt that this will have a big impact locally,” said the MS. “I wanted to raise the issue with both BCUHB and the Welsh Government so that local people can be kept up to date with what is being done to try to improve the situation.” The health board said funding has already been allocated to local dentists to increase their NHS capacity and that a further procurement process totalling £5m is currently live.
Meanwhile, the Welsh Government said it is reforming dentistry in Wales to create more NHS appointments and is working to recruit more people into the profession. In response to Mr Skates, BCUHB said: “We share your constituents’ disappointment that the practice has made this decision. Approximately 5,800 patients received NHS treatment at the practice last year, with around 9,200 patients receiving routine treatment in the last four years.
“Regrettably, as you will be aware, access to NHS dentistry is a challenging issue due to the shortfall in the number of dentists and practices opting to provided NHS services. Dant Y Coed dental practice, Coedpoeth. (Image: Google) “The health board does provide details on its website of all dental practices in North Wales that offer NHS services.
These practices are generally operating at full capacity with respect to their NHS activity, and so are only able to accept new regular patients as others leave the surgery. Most practices hold a waiting list of patients wishing to join the practice, with waiting lists being periodically opened to new individuals as others previously on the list become regular patients.” The health board added: “This is a constantly fluctuating situation.
Last year across North Wales, 27,842 new patients were accepted as regular NHS patients. However, as practices are independent businesses, we do not have access to their waiting list information so the health board is not able to provide accurate up-to-date information on which practices are currently accepting new patients.” Mr Skates said he has been informed work is ongoing at a national level to develop a Dental Access Portal, which will give people a route to enrol for an NHS dentist for routine dental care whilst also allowing the NHS to validate data entry by checking for duplication where patients have enrolled on more than one waiting list.
However, at present, people looking to find a new NHS dentist will need to contact practices directly to establish whether they are taking on new patients. BCUHB said: “The health board does provide a safety net of services for patients who do not have a regular dentist. For individuals who are in pain or with an urgent need, the health board offers a number of urgent access dental sessions.
These are accessed by contacting the NHS 111 Wales telephone helpline for triage and advice. “In view of the current difficult access situation whilst waiting to join a practice list, the health board has commissioned a number of non-urgent access sessions specifically aimed at the provision of dental treatment for patients who are in need of priority treatment. Ken Skates MS has raised concerns over Dant Y Coed dental practice.
(Image: Welsh Government) "The health board is also taking steps to address the shortfalls in provision and in the current year we have allocated £175,000, on a non-recurrent basis, with dental practices who have been able to provide additional capacity to see NHS patients. We have contacted other practices local to Dant y Coed to offer additional funding if they have spare capacity this financial year whilst we re-commission lost services.” The health board said it had awarded contracts worth £1.
6m for additional NHS capacity in North Wales. A further round of procurement, worth over £5m in total, is currently live. Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services Mr Miles said: “The health board is expecting to make funding awards resulting from the procurement exercise later this financial year.
” In a letter to Mr Skates, he said: “It is always disappointing when a dentist decides to reduce or end their NHS commitment. It is important to highlight that when this happens the funding for the lost provision remains with the health board in order for it to replace the level of NHS dental services. TOP STORIES Look inside Wrexham's new farm shop which opened its doors this week “We know it can be difficult for people to access NHS dental care if they do not have an ongoing relationship with an NHS dentist.
To make this easier, we have developed an all-Wales system to enable people to register their interest in receiving NHS dental care. This will provide health boards with a clear understanding of need in their area and enable them to manage the allocation of people to dental practices as capacity becomes available. It will also remove the need for people to have to ring around practices to find an NHS dentist.
“The system has been launched in Powys and will be operational in all health board areas before the end of the year." Mr Miles added: “NHS dental practices are taking on new patients in North Wales as a result of the dental reform programme we have been running. Practices have been offered a variation to their existing contract which includes the requirement to provide treatment to new patients.
“94% of commissioned dental activity in North Wales is now operating under reform arrangements and since April 2022 around 395,000 new patients have gained access to an NHS dentist across Wales, including 75,000 new patients in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area.”.
