Dental patients in Sussex forced to use A&E

Common problems finding an NHS dentist have caused hundreds of Sussex patients to seek help in A&E.

Figures cited by the Conservative Party show that 646 residents of the county had emergency dental procedures in 2007-8.

The Tories blamed the problems on Labour’s new dental contract, which saw changes to the pricing structure of treatment.

Yet, according to the Tories, this emergency treatment is costing the country more than £380,000.

West Sussex accounted for the majority of admissions, with 381 hospital visits. Across the country, 22,000 people have gone to A&E for treatment, including more than 5,000 children.

It has been revealed by the Argus that children in the UK are at risk from a number of dental problems, including gum disease, decay and serious illness simply because parents have not given them a toothbrush. Health bosses over the country agree that something needs to be done to increase access to NHS dentists.

In Sussex alone, more than 30,000 people stopped getting NHS dental treatment before December 2008 over a period of 2 years.

West Sussex dental contracts manage, Andy Brown, stated that everyone should have access to a dentist. He added that plans were being developed that will expand the NHS treatment available in West Sussex. This includes a new practice in Steyning, due to open next month. There are also places opening up for new patients now.

Those who wish to register for a dentist should call the NHS dental helpline on 0300 100899.

The Health Minister, Ann Keen, pointed out that those undergoing emergency treatment have increased by just 1%, where 36 million courses of treatments had still been delivered by NHS dentists – increasing since the previous year by almost a million.