New Norwich Dental School Plans Now Uncertain
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- Published: Wednesday, 18 September 2024 09:45
- Written by Peter Ingle
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One reason often offered to explain the dental access crisis, is that there are not enough dentists. There is a shortage in absolute numbers, and a shortage of dentists in the areas where their services are most needed. The theory goes that the majority of dental schools which are based in major cities, may attract students from rural areas, but they will frequently stay in or near to that city after qualifying
One approach to get not just more dentists, but to have them in the right places, is to set up more dental schools in traditionally under provided areas. In the last few years there have been frequent calls for a new dental school in their constituency from MP’s under pressure to do something about poor access to NHS dentistry. This approach also appeals to local health organisations and universities that would like to add a popular and prestigious course to their programme.
The University of East Anglia (UEA) has been wanting to open a facility in Norwich, which they hope could help end the county’s "dental desert" status. The Norfolk and Waveney area has some of the highest rates of dental problems in the country. It has the worst ratio of NHS dentists to patients in England, with just one for every 2,776 people. Last year more than 1,000 people had to attend Norfolk’s casualty departments because their dental issues were so serious.
Despite the scale of the crisis, a recent analysis showed £17m - more than a quarter of Norfolk and Waveney’s allocated NHS dental funding - was not being used this year. This is partly because there were no dentists available to do the work required. Supporters of the UEA scheme have said this furthered their case and the unspent funding could help progress the plans for the dental school.
According to BBC News, discussions are under way with the new government, however, Norwich South MP Clive Lewis has said the project was "not a done deal".
Five Norfolk MPs met to discuss the proposals for a new UEA dental school with Care Minister Stephen Kinnock recently. The meeting was attended by Lewis, Alice Macdonald, the Labour MP for Norwich North, Jerome Mayhew, the Conservative MP for Broadland and Fakenham, George Freeman, the Conservative MP for Mid Norfolk, and Steffan Aquarone, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk.
Lewis has since written on social media: "Local dental services are in crisis, partly due to a shortage of dentists. "The new dental school at the UEA is not a done deal yet, and I’ll continue to prioritise fixing local dentistry."
A UEA spokesperson said: “UEA continues to make the case for undergraduate dental training in the East of England. "We are grateful to the Norfolk MPs who represented UEA’s interests at last week’s meeting with the Dental Minister. We are advancing discussions with the General Dental Council and the Office for Students and continue to work relentlessly with our regional partners on dental development activities, including post graduate training to tackle the oral health crisis in Norfolk and continue to be an important provider of health skills for our region.”
If it does happen, a Norwich dental school along with the recently established course at Ipswich, will train more dental professionals, and if all goes to plan, dentists. Where they will work, and how they will be paid for that work, does not yet seem to have received much thought.
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