40-mile trip for NHS dental care in Scotland causes concern
Concerns have recently been voiced by representatives of the Oral Health Foundation regarding the difficulties in accessing NHS dental care in Scotland. New research has come to light that shows that over 215,000 people are confronted by a 40-mile round trip every time they need to visit the dentist.
The research, also carried out by the Oral Health Foundation, show that just under 25% of citizens live over ten miles away from their local dental practice. This raises issues regarding easy access, in particular for those who cannot drive, elderly patients and those living in the country with no connection to towns and cities via public transport.
The government in Scotland has been called upon by the charity’s chief executive, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, who wants them to commit to improving access to dental treatment in the country and to allow the public to use services within walking distances. He goes on to cite problems with public transport networks, geographical isolation and shortages of NHS dentists, particularly in remote areas, as highlighted by the charity’s research.
Cuts the government have made to staff bodies and a lack of services connecting the public to their local providers are contributing factors to these problems, Dr Carter concluded. In addition, he drew attention to members of marginalised groups and has urged the government to act quickly on improving the situation. A potential solution may lie in bringing back the dental health promotion teams of the past, that visited vulnerable groups of people and those who lived in remote locations, but as staff members have been so diminished by budget cuts such services are currently unavailable, leaving many people with no access to dental treatment whatsoever.
