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29

Sept 2023

Last Updated: 29/09/2023
Health
Health

Health chief pledges to help patients at Harrogate NHS dentist

by John Grainger

| 29 Sept, 2023
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nhs-dentist

NHS dentistry provision was discussed at a meeting yesterday between Andrew Jones, the MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, and Stephen Eames, the chief executive of the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board. 

The issue was highlighted recently by the announcement that Chatsworth House dental practice on King’s Road in Harrogate was closing to NHS patients from December 1. 

The meeting was a follow-up from a briefing this month which the ICB – a collaboration of health and care organisations tasked with improving the health and wellbeing of people in the region – arranged for all Humber and North Yorkshire MPs. 

Mr Jones said:  

“We have a short-term issue – one that I raised at Prime Minister’s Questions – about what happens when a practice suddenly closes to NHS patients as has happened here. We also have a medium-term issue about increasing NHS dentistry capacity. Mr Eames and I discussed both these issues.” 


Chatsworth House Dental Clinic



The ICB told Mr Jones it is planning to redistribute the funding given to Chatsworth House to other local practices so that they can take on more patients. Patients affected will be contacted directly by the ICB to explain where their new practice will be.

According to a government briefing published in April 2023, total funding for NHS dental services in England fell by 8% in real terms between 2010 and 2022.



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The crisis in NHS dental provision was highlighted by a YouGov poll in March. The survey found that more than a quarter of the UK population (27%) have not seen a dentist within the last two years, and one in five people (22%) are currently not even registered with a dentist.

Of those, 37% said it was because they couldn't find an NHS dentist, and 23% said it was because they couldn't afford to pay for treatment. One in 10 admitted to attempting their own dental work.

To help address the problem, the ICB is looking to increase NHS dental capacity locally through the rapid launch ‘Centres of Dental Development’, which are intended to support, develop and retain the dental workforce across the Humber and North Yorkshire. 

Mr Jones said:  

“It is good that the ICB are looking at the long-term sustainability of our dental service. This is a positive and constructive approach and I have asked that Harrogate, which is the largest town in North Yorkshire, will be host to one of these new centres. 
“Such a facility would place front and centre significant dental provision for our area. It could educate a new generation of local dentists. To have such a centre in Harrogate would be a huge boon to our area. 
“I look forward to receiving more details from the ICB and feel hopeful that my request for a Centre of Dental Development in Harrogate will be successful.”