Nine in 10 NHS dental practices in England not accepting new patients

The AOP has highlighted that optometry could see similar access problems to NHS dentistry if General Ophthalmic Service (GOS) fees continue to fall short of the cost of providing a sight test.

The warning comes after research by the British Dental Association (BDA) and the BBC revealed that 91% of NHS dental practices were not accepting new patients.

The research involved a survey of 8533 dental practices with an NHS contract across the UK between May and July this year.

Within the East Midlands, 97% of NHS dental practices were not accepting new patients – with this figure rising to 98% in the South West, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber.

The BDA highlighted that the service challenges have been fuelled by a “discredited NHS contract,” which funds care for only half the population.

The association estimates that a further £880m per year in investment is required in order to restore funding to 2010 levels.

Unless the GOS fee starts to rise, it could be that we see a similar pattern in the coming years

Chair of the BDA’s general dental practice committee, Shawn Charlwood, highlighted that NHS dentistry is at a “tipping point.”

"We're seeing the results of years of chronic neglect, set into overdrive by the pressures of the pandemic. The question now is will ministers step up before it's too late?” he asked.

"Nothing we've heard from government to date gives us any confidence this service has a future. Without real reform and fair funding NHS dentistry will die, and our patients will pay the price," he emphasised.

AOP clinical and professional director, Dr Peter Hampson, highlighted that the AOP have been making the case that GOS is underfunded for several years.

“Currently optometry doesn’t have the patient access problem that we see in dentistry, but unless the GOS fee starts to rise, it could be that we see a similar pattern in the coming years. If that happens the sight of millions of patients could be placed at risk, something we must avoid,” he emphasised.