York Press column: Working with Ministers to help Bupa dental care patients
June 7, 2023
Following the announcement from Bupa that their Holgate Park premises will close on 30th June I have been engaging with Bupa, the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Minister Neil O’Brien MP, to discuss the issues we face both in the short and long term in York regarding access to NHS dental care.
I met with Minister O’Brien at the Department for Health and Social Care to discuss the provision of NHS dental care in York and the urgent need for nationwide dental reform. I am meeting with ICB to see what work has been done to ensure that Holgate Park’s NHS dental contract gets recommissioned either on a temporary or permanent basis. I will also raise the importance of collecting more workforce data so we gain an increased understanding of the challenges they face. I hope that this will provide answers to the concerning trend that despite more dentists being recruited they appear to be spending less time on NHS work, dropping down from 24 hours on average per week, pre-pandemic, to 16 hours. Additionally, I informed the Minister that I will be meeting with several local dental care practices to discuss these challenges individually to which he has asked me to keep him regularly updated.
There is a broad consensus that dental care is in urgent need of reform, primarily because the 2006 NHS dental contracts are simply not fit for purpose or sustainable as we move forward. I was very grateful for the Minister’s frank and honest discussion on this matter and welcomed his ambition to provide an announcement to the Commons before summer recess which will focus largely around workforce reforms and providing short-term alleviation to this sector with longer-term solutions hopefully to follow.
I also had the pleasure of welcoming the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce to Parliament to discuss the new York Hospitality Forum with Minister for Small Business and Hospitality, Kevin Holinrake MP, Minister for Tourism, John Whittingdale MP, and fellow North Yorkshire MPs Andrew Jones, Julian Smith and Rachael Maskell.
This was a fantastic opportunity for the Chamber of Commerce to boost the profile of their recently founded York Hospitality Forum and to raise concerns with two Ministers responsible for the health of the industry. The role of this forum is to be a leading voice for this vital sector regionally, nationally and internationally.
Hospitality and tourism are intrinsically intertwined, and we are very fortunate to have such a thriving sector in York which has enjoyed a stronger post-COVID recovery compared to other parts of the UK. However, we must recognise that the last few years have been an incredibly and uniquely challenging period for the hospitality and tourism sector as a result of the pandemic and a rise in the cost of living.
Nationally, tourism is such a vital player in our economy with 3.4 million people employed in over 300,000 businesses across the UK which contributes to local economies and communities. Additionally, the UK is a leading figure on the world stage in regards to being the fifth largest tourism destination which brings in huge revenues annually.
The meeting allowed for representatives from the Chamber of Commerce to explain the Forum’s aims and a broader discussion about the industry, where those present discussed thematic issues such as employment, apprenticeships, York’s visitor economy, and how we can harness the opportunities provided by North Yorkshire’s devolution next year. Discussion over VAT, business rates, the benefits and transferable skills gained by working in hospitality, job opportunities for younger members of coastal communities and mental health within the sector were in-depth and thought provoking.
This was very much the first conversation of many and with all MPs present and Ministers visibly engaged and passionate, there is clear evidence that there is much more to be done collaboratively. The Ministers were clearly acutely aware of the challenges facing the industry and have expressed a willingness to raise the profile of hospitality, tourism, and the challenges they face across key Government departments such as the Treasury and Department for Transport.
