Today in the chamber, Matt raised his concerns with the Secretary of State for Health and Social care, regarding access to dentistry for his Stockton South constituents.
While acknowledging and praising the unprecedented investment unveiled by the Conservative government in order to tackle the issue of dwindling public sector dentistries, Vickers asked The Rt Hon Victoria Atkins whether the government were committed to seeing the much-needed continuation of consultations on broadening the dentistry workforce and contract reforms.
Matt continues to raise these issues directly with government, as he is aware of the issues surrounding access to dentistry by his constituents and remains very concerned at the rate at which public practices are turning into private practices.
Commons exchange between Matt Vickers MP and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care:
Matt Vickers MP:
As my right hon. Friend knows, I am extremely concerned about access to dentistry for residents in Stockton South, so I hugely welcome this unprecedented investment and the places it will create locally. Can she confirm that the Government are committed to tackling the situation as quickly as possible and also for the long-term, and that they will continue to consult on broader workforce and contract reform?
Victoria Atkins (SoS for Health and Social Care):
I am delighted to confirm that. We have wanted to deal with the issues as quickly as we can, but also with an eye to the future. This is the way in which the Government set out our plans for the NHS and for our social care system. I am confident, for example, about the introduction of golden hellos for new dentists. We know that that works with GPs and we now want to try it with dentists to see whether we can get dentists into those areas that do not have the service they need at the moment.
