Nearly half of adults did not even bother trying to see an NHS dentist over the past two years as many were put off by long waits and high fees, an official survey reveals.
Only 52.4 per cent of patients who responded to the NHS England study last tried to book an appointment during that time period, but almost one in four of those people (23.7 per cent) were unable to get one.
Meanwhile, more than a quarter (26.8 per cent) of those who did not try to see an NHS dentist said they now use a private dentist.
Only a slightly smaller percentage – 24.7 per cent – do not think they will get an appointment even if they try, while 5.6 per cent say NHS fees for checks and treatment are too expensive.
The Nuffield Trust think tank, which previously warned that NHS dentistry is “gone forever” and must be rationed to have a chance of survival, described the latest findings as “deeply worrying”.
Only 52.4 per cent of patients who responded to the NHS England study last tried to book an appointment during that time period, but almost one in four of those people (23.7 per cent) were unable to get one (file image)
Meanwhile, more than a quarter (26.8 per cent) of those who did not try to see an NHS dentist said they now use a private dentist (file image)
This comes after Wes Streeting met the British Dental Association earlier this week to discuss possible reforms to the NHS dentistry contract, which members say is killing the service.
The health secretary has pledged to provide 700,000 emergency appointments after hearing how patients have turned to DIY dentistry, including removing their own teeth, after struggling to access care even when in pain.
Almost 700,000 adults completed the GP Patient Survey, commissioned by NHS England and which asks about the level of service provided by GPs, dentists and pharmacists.
The answers to their questions about GPs highlight the disappearance of the “family doctor” and show that fewer than three in four patients are satisfied with their practice, with long waits and difficulties in communicating by phone fuelling dissatisfaction.
Only one in three patients (32.8 percent) now has a preferred healthcare professional they would like to see for consultation, and only 39.7 percent of them say they can speak to this person “always or almost always” or “often.”
This is despite research showing that regularly visiting the same GP can improve health outcomes and reduce pressure on hospitals.
This comes after Wes Streeting met the British Dental Association earlier this week to discuss possible reforms to the NHS dentistry contract, which members say is killing the service.
Dr Becks Fisher, director of research and policy at the Nuffield Trust, said: “The results in dentistry are very worrying. Only around half of people have tried to get an appointment on the NHS in the last two years.
‘Of those who did not try, more than 60 per cent did so because of price, waiting times, private alternatives or simply a lack of availability of NHS care.
‘The money available from Labour for urgent and emergency consultations will help patients, but it will not reverse a situation where half of adults are not getting the care they should on the NHS.
‘The new Government must build on the promising talks with dentists this week to deliver the contract reform they have promised – a contract that has failed dentists and patients for almost twenty years.’
As for GPs, Dr Fisher added: “It is particularly worrying that, despite clear evidence that seeing the same healthcare professional over time improves patient outcomes, the proportion of people who have a preferred doctor is falling, and the proportion who actually get to see that doctor is now well below half.
‘Having promised to ‘bring back the family doctor’, the new Government must use guidance and incentives to make this happen for more people, even if that means not demanding so many other things from GPs.’
