Suffolk health boss pledges to create 'oases in the dental deserts' - as campaigners stage demo
A health boss has pledged to create 'oases in the dental deserts' amid plans to spend tens of millions of pounds restoring access to NHS dentistry.
The Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) plans to spend £76m over the next decade to expand dental services in five areas, including Leiston, Brandon, Bury St Edmunds and Tendring.
Its Chief Executive Ed Garratt insists they are 'recovering' the situation, with tens of thousands of urgent appointments now available.
"We are now delivering 60,000 appointments a year in Suffolk and north east Essex, so there's no need for DIY dentistry anymore locally, but we have inconsistent dental coverage across our patch," he said.
"That will represent a £76 million investment over ten years for those communities, assuming the procurement is successful, we have budgeted for it.
"We want to end dental deserts... we want to create oases in the desert.
'I think this is a national problem. We've taken up the mantle in recent years, and we are recovering the situation but there's been an issue with the dental contract and the retention and recruitment of dentists," he added.
Mark Jones started the Toothless in Suffolk campaign four years ago, fed up with watching NHS dentists closing and rural communities left in pain.
'We've heard numerous stories of DIY dentistry where people have got a pair of pliers from the garden shed and extracted their own teeth," he said.
"It's completely unacceptable. The stories are horrific, and they have long-term consequences.
"Access to NHS dentistry continues to be a postcode lottery, out of reach for tens of thousands of men, women and children. They deserve better, much better," he added.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'This government inherited a broken NHS dental sector after years of neglect, but we are getting on with fixing it through our Plan for Change.
'We've already begun the rollout of 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments, and a 'golden hello' scheme is underway to recruit dentists to areas with most need – with hundreds of posts advertised.
'We will also reform the dental contract to make NHS work more appealing to dentists, and we've announced a national supervised toothbrushing programme to prevent tooth decay in young children.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
35 minutes ago
- BBC News
New NHS diagnostics centre to open in Redhill
A new Community Diagnostics Centre (CDC) is set to open this summer, aiming to speed up access to vital NHS tests for thousands of patients across Surrey and centre is funded by NHS England and will be based in the Belfry Shopping Centre in Redhill, is expected to carry out nearly 40,000 tests in its first year, potentially reducing around 200,000 patient journeys to East Surrey Hospital over five Stevenson, chief executive of Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, said the new facility would "help meet rising demand and reduce waiting times". Once operational, the CDC will offer a 12-hour, seven-day-a-week service, providing tests such as CT scans, X-rays, ECGs, ultrasounds, and blood and respiratory checks. The centre will also allow GPs to refer patients directly, streamlining the diagnostic process and offering a "one-stop shop" for a range of CDC is a joint initiative between Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust and Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Stevenson said: "Quicker and more efficient tests mean we can start treatment for serious illnesses like cancer sooner, improving outcomes for our patients." The Redhill CDC builds on the Trust's existing services at Crawley Hospital, where over 169,000 tests have already been delivered since 2023 with plans for a further 171,500 tests before the end of March Crawley site is one of more than 170 CDCs operating across England.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Last chance for spring Covid-19 booster jab in Surrey
The NHS in Surrey is reminding those who are eligible to get their spring Covid-19 boosters before the seasonal campaign ends in later this NHS says uptake in the latest round of boosters has been low, with just 49% of people eligible in Surrey having received their most recent booster eligible for the booster are adults aged 75 and over, residents in care homes for older adults, and individuals with weakened immune booster provides "vital protection against different strains of the Covid-19 virus" and helps to reduce the risk of serious illness and hospital admissions, the NHS says. Dr Charlotte Canniff, Surrey GP and joint chief medical officer at Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board, said: "It is not uncommon to see less people come forward for their booster over the spring and summer months."However, Covid-19 is still circulating, and it is important that vulnerable people are protected so that their risk of becoming seriously unwell is reduced."Appointments are available at pharmacies and GP practices across the county, with walk-in appointments also offered at various campaign ends on 17 June.
Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Aspiring dentist who fled Taliban builds new life in Glasgow
Shakiba Azim, who left her home country four years ago, is now working towards her dream career by volunteering at NHS Golden Jubilee. She said: "When I came here, I realised I finally had the freedom and the right to follow my dream." 'Back in Afghanistan, I was offered a place at university to study dentistry, but it was too far from home and, as a girl without a male relative, I wasn't allowed to go." "Volunteering at NHS Golden Jubilee has been my way of starting again and working towards that goal.' In 2021, Shakiba was working as a journalist. This placed her family at significant risk when the Taliban came back to power. They fled the country for Pakistan before applying for a humanitarian visa to the UK, eventually settling in Glasgow. She said: "I lost everything overnight. "Because of my job, my family and I were at risk. "We escaped to Pakistan and applied for a visa. "After two years, we arrived in the UK." "I remember Googling it and being nervous about the Scottish accent, but when we got here, we found the people so kind and helpful. "I fell in love with Scotland." Shakiba is now building a new future in the country she calls home, where she lives with her mother and younger sister. Her sister is also an outpatient support volunteer in the radiology department at NHS Golden Jubilee. Both are completing English language courses to help them begin their next step into higher education. In a few weeks, they will move on to new science-based courses at college. Shakiba said: "We're working hard to build our future. 'Volunteering has been a great experience. "Everyone has been so supportive and kind. "I'm so grateful to be part of this team. "Volunteering here has helped me develop skills, build my confidence, and understand how healthcare works in Scotland. "It's also shown me how much I enjoy helping people.' "This country gave me a second chance. "I want to stay here and give something back.' As part of Volunteer Week 2025, NHS Golden Jubilee is recognising the contributions of its volunteers. The NHS board, which has 50 volunteers in various patient care support roles, has signed Volunteers Scotland Volunteer Charter. It is committed to being a Volunteer Charter Champion to recognise and celebrate the dedication of its volunteers. NHS Golden Jubilee has signed the Volunteers in Scotland Volunteer Charter to commit to celebrating its volunteers (Image: NHS Golden Jubilee) Maureen Franks, volunteer manager, said: "Volunteers like Shakiba are at the heart of our volunteering community. "Her story is inspiring, showing the power of resilience, and we are proud to support her journey and are lucky to have her as part of Team Jubilee. Tosh Lynch, head of Spiritual Care and Volunteer Services, said: 'As an organisation, we understand that our volunteers support us to enhance the patient and visitor experience through a variety of services such as Pastoral Care and Patient Peer Support. 'By providing quality, safe, effective, and person-centred care our volunteers play an important role in enhancing the hospital experience for every patient or visitor and in shaping future services.' More information on how to become a volunteer at NHS Golden Jubilee can be found on the hospital's website.
