, Labour’s Shadow
Health Secretary, responding to the British
Dental Association poll showing only 36% of England’s practices
will be reopening on Monday 8 June, said:
"This will no doubt have been an agonising time for those
suffering from dental problems during the lockdown. The reopening
of dental practices is a welcome step, but it is vital that this
doesn't risk the health of dentists, patients and
staff.
"Throughout the pandemic, PPE stocks have been insufficient
for Urgent Dental Care hubs to operate as planned which has only
exacerbated this issue. Government and Public Health England need
to ensure that dental practices aren't put in a similar position,
where they feel obligated to operate without adequate protection
in order to meet patients’ needs.
“This pandemic has hugely impacted our health services - it
is vital that Ministers urgently begin to address this backlog of
delayed treatment and rising clinical need.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. Evidence
gathered from over 2000 practices in England suggests:
· The
majority (over 60%) of dental practices estimate they will be
able to treat less than quarter of the patient numbers they saw
pre-COVID.
· Barely
15% are in position to offer a full range of treatment, with
capacity to offer Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGPs), using
high speed instruments that constitute the majority of
activity.
· Key
drivers include PPE shortages, with only 1/3 of practices have
PPE to hand to provide face-to-face care, and only 25% reporting
they have been fit tested to use them.
· Dentists
have also indicated other barriers with a high impact on their
plans for reopening, including emerging from cash flow problems
(78%), difficulties getting practices ready for social distancing
(63%), and access to childcare (40%) - where failure to offer
necessary clarity on their key worker
status has seen children turned away from schools
and nurseries.
2. Coronavirus:
No return to 'business as usual' for dentists https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52913826
