Recently Llyr Gruffydd supported a call for North Wales dentistry school in face of crisis in dental services
In the wake of the news that yet another dental practice was to hand back its NHS contract in North Wales, Llyr Gruffydd – the Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd called for radical action to address the situation.
Addressing Ken Skates MS, who is the Cabinet Secretary responsible for North Wales, Mr Gruffydd said-
“You will have heard Plaid Cymru's calls for a dentistry school. I'm wondering whether you support the establishment of that proposition in principle, if not without acknowledging some of the practical challenges. And if you do, then what case are you making within Government to try and realise that ambition?”
The news that the Dant y Coed dental practice in Coedpoeth near Wrexham is handing back its NHS contract in January. The 12,000 patients on their register will cease to be treated for free on NHS terms, and instead will be required to pay for treatment.
Addressing the Senedd Llyr Gruffydd said-
“We have a situation now where a family of four potentially will have to pay £400, £500 a year just for check-ups and even more if they need any kind of treatment following that.
“We know that contracts are an issue. The dentists are telling us that there are issues with the contract between the Government and the sector, but also sufficiency of supply of dentists.”
The Cabinet Secretary Ken Skates responded-
“I can assure people in the county borough of Wrexham that there are 11 practices that provide NHS provision. There are opportunities sometimes when contracts are handed back”
According to all of the remaining 10 dental practices in the Borough of Wrexham, none of them are taking any new NHS patients onto their registers, 9 out of 10 have closed their waiting lists, and the remaining practice – My Dentist in Wrexham – have a waiting list of over 4000 potential patients.
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