On Tuesday Parliament Will ‘Hold Ministers To Account’ - Act Now Urges BDA
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- Published: Monday, 08 January 2024 09:41
- Written by Guy Tuggle
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House of Commons business this week will see ministers responsible for NHS Dentistry ‘held to account’ on Tuesday 9th January.
An ‘Opposition Day Debate’ on NHS dentistry has been tabled by the Labour Party with LibDem support. On hearing the news, the British Dental Association (BDA) on Friday afternoon immediately e-mailed its members and urged them to write to their MP requesting that they attend. The debate will be held in the House of Commons chamber.
Shadow Secretary of State for Health Wes Streeting, buttressed by Shadow Minister for Primary Care and Public Health Preet Kaur Gill, will lead the attack in what could be a set-piece Parliamentary event for the profession.
The BDA’s call to arms contains an ‘oven-ready’ letter which automatically populates with the MP’s name and e-mail address when opened using the recipient’s postcode. All the sender needs to do is add their name and address and click ‘send’.
Themed ‘Deeds not Words’, the BDA’s states that “The Secretary of State for Health says “NHS dentistry should be accessible and available for all those who need it.” But there’s no plan and no resources to realise that ambition.
Parliament’s Health Committee set out an instruction manual to save NHS dentistry, but government seems set to ignore the first and most fundamental step – a clean break from the failed contract that’s fuelling the exodus from this service.
Ministers need to be honest with the public and the dental profession about their plans.
On funding and reform what we need now are deeds, not words”.
How effective Mr Streeting and Ms Gill will be holding Victoria Atkins’ and Andrea Leadsom’s feet to the fire remains to be seen.
In this election year, dentistry is already a hot topic on many doorsteps and has been simmering away in the media for several years. The temperature is rising.
A fully functioning, properly funded NHS dental service running in tandem with a thriving private one for those who choose to use it, rather than being forced into it, is in the best interests of all.
Candidates and their door knockers will need answers. Will Tuesday’s debate provide them?
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