Julian continues to press Minister on York dental care services
July 11, 2023
Today at Health Questions, Julian took the opportunity to ask the Health Secretary about access to NHS dental care in York, following his recent work on behalf of constituents in the aftermath of Bupa’s decision to close their clinic at Holgate Park.
Julian asked the Secretary of State:
“The Minister is fully aware of Bupa’s decision to close its dental clinic in York, at Holgate Park. I put on record my thanks to him for working with me to find a solution for those constituents affected by the decision. What is being done to reassess out-of-date dental contracts, so that we can ensure that increased demand is met and that my constituents get the access to dental care that they deserve?”
The Health Secretary’s response was as follows:
“We are taking action, which is why the Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, my hon. Friend the Member for Harborough met my hon. Friend recently. In his area of Humber and North Yorkshire, there has been an increase in the number of children seen by NHS dentists over the previous 12 months, so the picture is improving, but we recognise that there is more to do; that is why we have made a number of reforms to the dental contract and why we will announce further plans shortly.”
Since the announced closure of Bupa Dental Care Holgate Park, Julian has take action to help mitigate disruption and ensure that patients from the practice are still able to access free NHS dental care in the local area. He has held meetings with Bupa, our local Integrated Care Board (ICB), and met with the Minister for Primary Care and Public Health, Neil O’Brien MP, on three separate occasions to discuss the issue of Bupa Holgate Park and the wider need for dental care reforms.
The ICB has highlighted some challenges that they have faced in trying to find alternative providers of dental care for patients following the closure of Holgate Park, such as the fact that practices that reached their UDA contractual targets rejecting the suggestion that they take on more patients and UDAs. This is why Julian pressed today for new dental contracts to replace those currently in place which are nearly twenty years old.
Speaking after his question, Julian said: “While I appreciate the Minister’s time in responding, I do not believe that this is a matter of case closed.
I have been consistently highlighting the importance of providing clarity and certainty to affected patients at the earliest possible moment. I will continue to promote improved access to NHS dental care in York and for a more effective form of NHS dental contracts.
It is common sense that contracts introduced in 2006 are updated to reflect population growth meaning dentists will be required to accept more NHS patients. This is not a silver bullet though and reforms will need to be introduced in tandem with increased investment in training.”
