Healthwatch Sefton Dental Statement

Are you looking for a Sefton based dentist who can register you for NHS treatment? Click here

Read our full dental statement below:

Healthwatch agrees that everyone should be able to access an NHS dentist when they need one, wherever they live’.

In Sefton, we know that some dental practices have closed, with the majority of those based in Sefton not registering adults or children for NHS dental care. Many of the practices do not have a waiting list that you can join.

Locally, you have told us that you have found out that you have been removed from the practice list and were unaware of this. You then find that you cannot register anywhere else for NHS dental treatment.

Many of you don’t know how to access emergency treatment. Some residents tell us they have had to return to the emergency team multiple times for treatment, as they have nowhere to access follow-up appointments to complete dental treatment required.

Enquiries we receive have included residents having problems with dentures and eating, dental issues in pregnancy and and those who require a dental check up to access medical treatment for conditions including cancer.

NHS dental care is the most common issue that people share their feedback on, with Healthwatch. Lack of access to NHS dental care and the unaffordable costs of private dental treatment are the most reported issues. 

In Sefton, we had already noticed prior to the pandemic, that we had a shortage of dental practices/ dentists undertaking NHS treatment, across the Southport and Formby localities and were in discussion with NHS England about this.

Coming out of the COVID pandemic and to date, we have experienced a high volume of enquires from residents across Sefton, who cannot get an appointment or register with an NHS dentist. We regularly contact all dental practices across the borough to gain updates on registrations. Information is available on our website (click onto the ‘advice and information’ tab and then ‘find an NHS Dentist’ – https://www.healthwatchsefton.co.uk/find-an-nhs-dentist/).

You can also access information about dentists by clicking on the following NHS website (https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/ ), which includes information about finding a dentist, dental services and treatments and dental costs.

Some people do not have to pay for NHS dental treatment, but if you normally pay for NHS dental treatment, the cost will depend on what treatment you need. There are 3 NHS charge bands and more information can be found in the link above:

Band 1: £26.80

Band 2: £73.50

Band 3: £319.10

The lack of access to NHS dental care is also very challenging in neighbouring boroughs, for example Liverpool or Knowsley and is the same right across England.

Although we can’t fix this issue locally, we do share the feedback you share with us with our national body Healthwatch England, who have been collecting all of the feedback across England and are supporting us to get this issue discussed by the government.

They have been reporting into the recent government health & social care committee meetings to ensure the voice of patients is heard. A report by ‘Members of Parliament’ (MPs) into dental care, which drew upon the experiences people have shared with Healthwatch, called for urgent reform so more people can access an NHS dentist. Healthwatch England spoke to the Committee about the problems people have experienced accessing and affording an NHS dentist and the difficulties getting support have led to, with many people living in pain and in some extreme cases, people taking matters into their own hands, resorting to DIY dentistry.

We will continue to share your anonymous feedback into Healthwatch England and continue to meet with NHS Cheshire and Merseyside dental team and our Healthwatch counterparts, to share and gain updates on their primary care dental recovery plan.

Healthwatch England has called for rapid and radical reform of how NHS dentistry is provided, to create a system where everyone has equal access to affordable dental care. Any reform needs to ensure that clear information is available for patients on NHS ‘registration’.

Date of statement: August 2024