Access to NHS dental provision has been a concern for some time, and many constituents have been in contact with me to share their challenges of trying to get a local dentist appointment.
I have raised these concerns with NHS England on a number of occasions, most recently meeting with the Head of Commissioning for the East of England and other stakeholders in July. We discussed the ongoing impact of the pandemic on current services, the challenge of recruiting dentists to the area and specifically the problems in Ely following the reduction of NHS services at the MyDentist practice in Chequers Lane.
I will continue to work for improved NHS dental services for my constituents and, in the meantime, I am told if a patient is unable to access an urgent dental appointment through a practice, they are advised to contact 111 for assistance who should be able to provide access to an appointment via another dental practice or an urgent dental care centre.
