‘Huge demand’ for urgent dental care and ‘massive’ issue with children’s oral health in South Yorkshire, councillors told
There is “huge demand” for urgent dental care while children have “massive” issues with dental health in South Yorkshire, councillors have been told.
Members of Sheffield City Council’s health scrutiny sub-committee have heard how much of a problem accessing dental care in Sheffield and South Yorkshire is.
The chamber was told that a survey asking about routine appointments, emergency appointments, NHS waiting lists, private dental care and details of experience received 426 responses – also 15 responses were submitted on Quick Polls.
In terms of routine appointments, 262 (62 per cent) said they had accessed an appointment in the last two years – of these 150 people (57 per cent) received the appointment locally.
People reported that 19 of them had to travel outside Sheffield.
Of those who didn’t get an appointment, 71 per cent said they tried but couldn’t get one.
Members were told that 10 people who answered the survey said they couldn’t afford the NHS charges.
When it came to emergency appointments, only 29 per cent said they had accessed an appointment over the last two years, members of the sub-committee were told.
Members also heard that of the people who submitted answers to the survey, 120 people (28.9 per cent) were on a waiting list for an NHS dentist – 54 of these people have been on the list for more than two years.
The survey also found that every third respondent (33 per cent) have accessed private dental healthcare.
A report published ahead of the meeting said: “There is a perceived difference between accessing routine and emergency dental appointments, with the latter being considered easier to access, which potentially causes problems with ongoing care, once emergency procedures have been carried out.”
At the health-scrutiny meeting, Cllr Mick Rooney told the chamber that some NHS dentists only worked part-time as they have private practices too which could potentially lead to cancellations of NHS appointments.
He was told these cancellations were part of the “bad experience” bit submitted by the respondents.
He also told members that he had heard how people were “thrown off” of lists when they couldn’t attend appointments during Covid.
Cllr Rooney also brought up the fact that Sheffield had no fluoride in the water.
Cllr Laura McClean raised with members the struggles of parents of carers who told her their children couldn’t get treatment – some told her this has been going on for years.
Debbie Stovin from the local NHS intergrated care board (ICB), which plans services, said there has been “really focus and commitment” by the ICB to prioritise dentistry in the South Yorkshire area.
She added there was a “massive issue” with children’s oral health needs in South Yorkshire.
Ms Stovin said there were five practices in Sheffield that recently signed up to be part of a new initiative that focuses on children up to five years – and also their parents and carers if they were not already attached to the practice.
In terms of urgent care, she said the “demand is huge”.
Ms Stovin added there were a dozen Sheffield dental practices that provide a number of sessions in their core contracted hours (excluding weekends) for all patients – not just for regular patients.
The route into these practices (when there is an urgent need of care) is through (calling) NHS 111 where you may be given an appointment ideally in your local area.
She said there were 16 practices across Sheffield that overdeliver on their contracts – practices usually are only able to overdeliver up to 102 per cent on their contracts.
Ms Stovin said they didn’t have a list of practices that offer dental care on the NHS, you have to look them up on the NHS website.
She said the practices that say they accept patients when there is availability essentially means they have got a waiting list.