Latest news with #JeremyMiles
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Health
- Wales Online
Warning Wales faces exodus of dentists and patients forced to go private
Warning Wales faces exodus of dentists and patients forced to go private Patients would be seen by any dentist available and check-ups will rise in price and be moved to once every two years if a new NHS dental plan for Wales is approved NHS patients will be seen by any dentist available, rather than their regular practice, and check-ups will be moved to every two years in a planned move the profession warned will cause an "exodus" of staff in Wales. More than six in 10 dentists said they would go fully private rather than take on the Welsh Government's planned shake-up. The changes being proposed are "a leap in the dark that could destroy NHS dentistry in Wales", the British Dental Association (BDA) warned. As a consultation on radical changes to NHS dentistry draws to a close the BDA urged the Welsh Government to heed the warnings of the profession "to avoid a wholesale exodus from the workforce". The Welsh Government has said its proposals will improve patients' access to dental service but the BDA said it would mean more forced to go private. Sign up for our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here. Under the shake-up adults would no longer have a regular practice NHS dentist but would be seen by whichever one is available on a first come first served basis. They would stay with that dentist until the course of treatment ends and then be returned the central list. Under-18s would keep the same surgery they are first allocated but dentists warn this could cause problems for families having appointments at multiple surgeries. Prices for NHS check-ups will rise from £20 to £24.75 under the plans. Article continues below "Despite worthy-sounding policy goals – to improve oral health, refocus on prevention, enhance the wellbeing of the workforce, and deliver better value for money – the professional body is warning that the plans as they stand risk achieving the exact opposite results," the BDA said. A survey of dentists across Wales by the BDA found "dentists have been left in an invidious position that risks an exodus from the NHS" with 72% saying they would not be willing to work under the proposed reforms as they stand. More than seven in 10 also said they are likely to reduce their NHS commitment in the event the model is imposed next year and more than six in 10 say they are likely to go fully private. Changes are expected to be fast-tracked for rollout next year. Jeremy Miles, the cabinet secretary for health and social care, has described the package as the "biggest change in nearly 20 years". The BDA said despite "headline focus on prevention" reducing healthier patients to check-up appointments up to 24 months apart could mean diseases, including oral cancers, are not picked up early. Dentists would also be unable to offer timely preventative advice and treatment. There will also be big changes to how NHS dentists are paid with rewards for delivering a 'care package' to patients with ongoing or complex needs. But the proposed level of payment "fails to reflect the true cost of care and risks leaving NHS providers delivering care at a loss", the BDA said. Russell Gidney, chair of the BDA's Welsh General Practice, said: 'On improving access and outcomes and refocusing on prevention the Welsh Government set lofty goals but its reforms risk achieving the exact opposite. 'Now dentists are stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea between a failed status quo and an unpopular untested alternative. "Ministers must be willing to listen, pilot plans, and avoid a leap in the dark that could destroy this service.' In a statement to the Senedd on March 18 Mr Miles said the new general dental services contract will be implemented from April 2026. He said the reforms would be the biggest in nearly 20 years and the central aim will be to make it easier to access NHS dentistry. He said instead of recalling everyone every six months for a routine check-up the new contract will be based on prevention and needs-based provision of treatment. The online BDA survey answered by 176 dentists across Wales also shows only: 2% of dentists responding feel that changes would support the long-term sustainability of NHS dentistry in Wales; 2% agree that reforms would improve population health with only 5% saying that they would enhance prevention; 2% feel reforms would support continuity of care with the same proportion believing it would enhance early detection of oral health conditions; 8% say that reforms would actually improve access to NHS care, and; 6% think the proposed system would provide good value for money for the taxpayer. Responding to the BDA's comments and findings a Welsh Government spokesman said: 'Under the new contract most people would continue their relationship with their practice and continuity would be strengthened for people with poor oral health. 'We are committed to providing better access to NHS dentistry for those most in need and at risk and to making NHS dentistry more attractive to dentists and their teams. The consultation on the proposed new contract is now live for the public and professional alike to have a say in shaping these once-in-a-generation reforms.' Article continues below Get our daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Patients may be seen by any dental surgery
Patients could be moved around dental surgeries under proposed changes to the system. Instead of having a regular surgery, the changes could see people offered treatment at any practice within their health board area, with check-ups for those with healthy teeth pushed to every 18 to 24 months. The Welsh government said the proposals would improve access to dental services, particularly for those most in need. But the British Dental Association (BDA) said the opposite could happen and more patients may be forced to go private. The biggest change would see all patients over 18 placed onto a central waiting list, called the Dental Access Portal (DAP). They would then be allocated a surgery, which could be anywhere within the health board area. If they need treatment, they would remain with that surgery until it is complete and beyond, if they needed close monitoring. If or when teeth are healthy, patients would be returned to the central portal and would be recalled for a check-up in 18 to 24 months wherever there is space. Children would be assessed under the plans but stay at the first surgery they are allocated. Some charges for patients would also change - with check-ups going up from £20 to £24.75 but a single crown going down from £260 to £239.15. 'There could be no NHS dentists in two years' Welsh dentistry 'no example' to England Family unable to see a dentist in four years Health Minister Jeremy Miles said the plans would benefit everyone. "It will make NHS dentistry more attractive to dentists and that is good for patients," he said. "Actually, what we want to make sure is that patients do look after their own oral health but when they do need to see a dentist they will be able to access one which is the critical thing." Jody Pegler, 46, from Pontllanfraith, Caerphilly county, who has been with his dentist in Newbridge for more than 30 years, said: "I have been coming here since I was a child. "It's nice to see the same person on a regular basis." Mr Pegler, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, said his family members needing to visit different surgeries could be problematic. "My wife, my child and myself could potentially be attending different practices," he said. "It's difficult to get out and to go anywhere really and if we have to go to different practices it would be impossible. "This dentist's in particular have made a big effort to make sure the practice is wheelchair accessible for me - that means a lot." Jody's dentist is Dr Harj Singhrao, owner of Newbridge Dental Care, who believes the potential breakdown in continued care will be "devastating". "If families can't be seen at the same practice, if people are punished then to join a waiting list because they have looked after their mouth, then where are they going to go? Because we know hospital waiting lists don't work," he said. The proposals are now part of a public consultation, open until 19 June, and in Cardiff people gave a mixed response to the plans when asked by BBC Wales. Robyn Weldon, 21, said: "I've been going to my dentist since I was probably six so I guess that would be a bit sad if I can't go to him. "I would say too that things haven't been going very well for the NHS so maybe this could be a good start to kind of make things easier for them and for us." Paul McCarthy, 77, said he was unaware of the changes. "I wouldn't be very happy about it either," he said. "I've been coming here for over 30 years and I'm used to coming here so I wouldn't like that at all." Justin Rees, 52, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, thought the new portal idea could be positive. "It's good because one, there are no appointments at the moment. "Two, it'll remind people that they need to have their teeth checked because you're busy all day and there's things that you let go," he said. In relation to how people currently access services, the consultation document says "contrary to popular belief" patients are not actually registered with a practice once their treatment ends, adding "for those who clinically require regular access, or an urgent need arises, nothing really changes". On check-ups, it says there is "false narrative" that six-monthly check-ups are necessary for everyone and that by giving people with healthy teeth a check-up less often, it will open up access for others. NICE guidelines say intervals between check-ups "should be determined specifically for each patient" and the longest interval for adults should be 18-24 months. But Dr Lauren Harrhy from the BDA said she was concerned that people may end up waiting much longer, with "most people" benefiting from regular checks. Dr Harrhy, who runs a practice in Pontypool, Torfaen, said: "If we are always having patients into the practice who need lots of work done and they are not able to be put back into the central database, there is a saturation point and at which point, access into dental practices will cease. "Our main concerns are we will have an overall reduction in the continuity of care... and we may find that dentists leave NHS dentistry which has been a trend over recent years anyway." Dentists also say the proposals offer no extra money to fund the changes. But Miles said investment in dentistry had increased year on year. "This isn't a contract we have drawn up from thin air, it is based on years worth of work, it's 13 months of negotiations with the BDA itself," he said. "No contract gives everybody exactly what they want but I am absolutely confident that for everybody - for patients, for dentists, for the NHS, for the government - this is a step forward." British Dental Association Why can't I find an NHS dentist in Wales? Fees will see more people pull teeth out - dentist Patient, 73, has 100-mile round trip for dentist
BBC News
3 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Dentists: Patients could be seen by any surgery under NHS plans
Patients could be moved around dental surgeries under proposed changes to the of having a regular surgery, the changes could see people offered treatment at any practice within their health board area, with check-ups for those with healthy teeth pushed to every 18 to 24 Welsh government said the proposals would improve access to dental services, particularly for those most in the British Dental Association (BDA) said the opposite could happen and more patients may be forced to go private. The biggest change would see all patients over 18 placed onto a central waiting list, called the Dental Access Portal (DAP).They would then be allocated a surgery, which could be anywhere within the health board they need treatment, they would remain with that surgery until it is complete and beyond, if they needed close or when teeth are healthy, patients would be returned to the central portal and would be recalled for a check-up in 18 to 24 months wherever there is would be assessed under the plans but stay at the first surgery they are charges for patients would also change - with check-ups going up from £20 to £24.75 but a single crown going down from £260 to £239.15. Health Minister Jeremy Miles said the plans would benefit everyone."It will make NHS dentistry more attractive to dentists and that is good for patients," he said."Actually, what we want to make sure is that patients do look after their own oral health but when they do need to see a dentist they will be able to access one which is the critical thing." Jody Pegler, 46, from Pontllanfraith, Caerphilly county, who has been with his dentist in Newbridge for more than 30 years, said: "I have been coming here since I was a child."It's nice to see the same person on a regular basis."Mr Pegler, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, said his family members needing to visit different surgeries could be problematic."My wife, my child and myself could potentially be attending different practices," he said."It's difficult to get out and to go anywhere really and if we have to go to different practices it would be impossible."This dentist's in particular have made a big effort to make sure the practice is wheelchair accessible for me - that means a lot." Jody's dentist is Dr Harj Singhrao, owner of Newbridge Dental Care, who believes the potential breakdown in continued care will be "devastating"."If families can't be seen at the same practice, if people are punished then to join a waiting list because they have looked after their mouth, then where are they going to go? Because we know hospital waiting lists don't work," he said. The proposals are now part of a public consultation, open until 19 June, and in Cardiff people gave a mixed response to the plans when asked by BBC Weldon, 21, said: "I've been going to my dentist since I was probably six so I guess that would be a bit sad if I can't go to him."I would say too that things haven't been going very well for the NHS so maybe this could be a good start to kind of make things easier for them and for us."Paul McCarthy, 77, said he was unaware of the changes."I wouldn't be very happy about it either," he said."I've been coming here for over 30 years and I'm used to coming here so I wouldn't like that at all."Justin Rees, 52, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, thought the new portal idea could be positive. "It's good because one, there are no appointments at the moment."Two, it'll remind people that they need to have their teeth checked because you're busy all day and there's things that you let go," he said. In relation to how people currently access services, the consultation document says "contrary to popular belief" patients are not actually registered with a practice once their treatment ends, adding "for those who clinically require regular access, or an urgent need arises, nothing really changes".On check-ups, it says there is "false narrative" that six-monthly check-ups are necessary for everyone and that by giving people with healthy teeth a check-up less often, it will open up access for guidelines say intervals between check-ups "should be determined specifically for each patient" and the longest interval for adults should be 18-24 months. But Dr Lauren Harrhy from the BDA said she was concerned that people may end up waiting much longer, with "most people" benefiting from regular checks. Dr Harrhy, who runs a practice in Pontypool, Torfaen, said: "If we are always having patients into the practice who need lots of work done and they are not able to be put back into the central database, there is a saturation point and at which point, access into dental practices will cease."Our main concerns are we will have an overall reduction in the continuity of care... and we may find that dentists leave NHS dentistry which has been a trend over recent years anyway."Dentists also say the proposals offer no extra money to fund the changes. But Miles said investment in dentistry had increased year on year."This isn't a contract we have drawn up from thin air, it is based on years worth of work, it's 13 months of negotiations with the BDA itself," he said."No contract gives everybody exactly what they want but I am absolutely confident that for everybody - for patients, for dentists, for the NHS, for the government - this is a step forward."
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Betsi Cadwaladr chair says longest NHS waits to end by 2026
Wales' largest and most troubled health board has said no patients will be waiting for more than two years for NHS treatment by the end of this Edwards, chairman of Betsi Cadwaladr health board, said he was "fairly confident" there will be no one on the long-term waiting list by next north Wales health board has been under the highest level of Welsh government scrutiny for the best part of a decade with the situation there being described as "acute".Figures for March, released two weeks ago, showed long-term waits across Wales falling to 8,389, the lowest since April 2021, but the majority - 5,747 - were in Betsi Cadwaladr. In December, First Minister Eluned Morgan pledged to cut the number of patients in Wales waiting two years or more for planned treatments, from 24,000 to "about 8,000" by this spring. Opposition parties said the March figures showed that target had been missed. On Wednesday, Mr Edwards told Newyddion S4C: "We're facing a capacity situation - that's the central question. "By the end of the end of this calendar year I'm fairly confident that no one will be waiting more than two years for treatment within this health board."Speaking in the Senedd earlier this week, Health Secretary Jeremy Miles confirmed that Swansea Bay, Hywel Dda, and Powys health boards had no patients waiting more than two he said Cardiff and the Vale and Betsi Cadwaladr had missed their told MSs: "The problem is most acute in north Wales, where from this week, Welsh government officials will work alongside health board staff themselves to focus on turning around its planned care position."I expect the health board to meet its plans to significantly reduce long waits by the end of the first quarter of this year."The Welsh Conservatives have been calling for a public inquiry into the health board which was first placed in special measures in June 2015 and is still under Welsh the highest level of Welsh government scrutiny. 'Hold our hand' Newyddion S4C asked Mr Edwards when he expected that to be lowered."Our focus is on improving the health board itself, and the health and wellbeing provision for north Wales," he said."I think that coming out of special measures will be a by-product of the success of the health board."When asked about the target of cutting the two-year waiting list for treatment, he added: "We're facing a capacity situation - that's the central question. "By the end of this calendar year I'm fairly confident that no-one will be waiting more than two years for treatment within this health board."On the health secretary's announcement that government officials were working alongside health board staff to focus on turning around its planned care position, he explained that the officials are there "to look at what steps we're taking, to understand some of the challenges that we're facing, and sometimes to hold our hand while we're doing the work"."I think we've shown government officials that we're on the right track. "Sometimes the government need that reassurance and there's nothing better than coming in to see for yourself, to get that evidence, and I think that's what they've done this past week."
Powys County Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Powys County Times
NHS Wales to remove no-show patients from waiting lists
PATIENTS who miss two appointments without good cause will be removed from waiting lists for NHS treatment, Wales' health secretary announced. Jeremy Miles warned more than 700,000 appointments are missed each year, with 14% of all outpatient appointments lost because people do not turn up or cannot attend. 'That's not right and it's not sustainable,' said the Labour politician. 'And it doesn't help us to make sure the public gets faster access to the care they need. 'So, in future, we will provide patients with two offers of dates for an NHS appointment. If those appointments are not kept without a good reason, they will be removed from the list so that their place can be taken by somebody else. 'Every person's circumstance will be considered. Patients who are vulnerable and children will be protected but we want patients to keep their appointments or to cancel in good time so their place can be taken by someone else.' 'Part of the solution' James Evans, the Conservatives' shadow health secretary, responded: 'We need to make sure the public do actually take a bit more responsibility with their appointments within the NHS but I do urge a little bit of caution. 'And I just need to make sure… this policy is not going to unfairly penalise vulnerable people, those who struggle to get transport, especially in Powys, for example, where people have to rely on public transport to get to appointments. It's not always readily available." Mr Evans cautioned that people who struggle with their mental health sometimes cannot go to appointments, with the minister reiterating that vulnerable people will be protected. Mr Miles added: 'It is really important that that capacity is available for patients who are able to take up those appointments. We all want to see access to care becoming faster, and so that's an important part of the solution. 'It's a partnership approach between the [Welsh] Government and the NHS on the one hand and the public on the other, and my anecdotal reading of it is that people do understand that that is an important part of the way forward.' 'Good progress' In a Senedd statement about waiting lists on June 3, Mr Miles said reducing long waits is his number one priority and pointed to signs of progress. 'We've seen the waits of more than two years falling by two-thirds,' he said. 'At the end of March, long waits fell to… just under 8,400. This is the lowest level since April 2021." He added: 'The size of the overall waiting list had reduced for the fourth month in a row.' Mr Miles, who was appointed in September, said the health service will commission the private sector to carry out a significant number of treatments. 'Baseless targets' Mr Miles told the Senedd: 'We will reset and reduce the overall size of the list by March 2026, bringing it back towards pre-pandemic levels. 'It is within our grasp to reduce the size of our waiting list by as much as 200,000 pathways over the next year.' But Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru's shadow health secretary, warned Welsh ministers have failed to hit their own targets from 2022 despite moving the goalposts multiple times. He added: 'With finite resources, we must prioritise the right things, rather than introducing a wide range of baseless targets.' 'Fair funding' Mr ap Gwynfor welcomed a recent improvement but pointed out that 600,000 people – almost one in five of the population – continues to wait for treatment. Labour's Hannah Blythyn welcomed positive progress, with two-year waits down 67% over the past three years and more than 12,000 patients coming off the list.
