Healthwatch Calderdale is submitting evidence to the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee inquiry into dental services.
The Committee is holding an inquiry into dentistry services and it is asking for feedback about the provision of NHS dental services.
We have used evidence gathered from the clients and groups we work with to provide feedback to the inquiry, but it’s also open for members of the public to comment on too.
The main themes we are submitting evidence about are:
- access to an NHS dentist
- access to urgent dental care
- access to interpreters for those unable to speak English
- patients being unaware they have been de-listed by their dentist
- cancelled appointments
- inappropriate dental work being carried out
- penalty charges
- information from reviews left on Healthwatch Calderdale’s website by patients of local NHS dentists.
The inquiry is looking at the relationship between the NHS and dentistry and whether or not current arrangements are satisfactory and how access to NHS dentistry can be improved, among many other areas.
People can submit their views about NHS dentistry by clicking here before Friday 13 September, 2019.
Submission to House of Commons inquiry into NHS dental services
Healthwatch Calderdale gathered feedback from members of the public about local NHS dental services. The information has come via our NHS Complaints Advocacy services; general requests for information; the review section of our website; or from other community organisations we work closely with.
The issues we submitted include:
- Access to an NHS dentist: including out of date information on the NHS Choices website and access to NHS dental care for people in care home.
- Access to urgent dental care: evidence submitted includes people’s experiences of calling 111 for dental care.
- Penalty charges: We’ve supported people who had unfairly been charged by their dental practice. Click here to read Healthwatch Calderdale’s submission to the inquiry: HSCC Submission – NHS Dentistry Services – Healthwatch Kirklees and Calderdale Sept 2019 FINAL
| HSCC Submission NHS Dentistry Services Healthwatch Kirklees and Calderdale Sept 2019 - Final | Download File (pdf 190.18 KB) |