Helen pushes for ‘rapid renegotiation’ of NHS dental contracts

Helen Morgan MP has called on the Government to ‘rapidly’ renegotiate NHS dental contracts following a dangerous lack of dental provision in North Shropshire.

On Tuesday Helen, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health and Social Care, spoke in the debate on access to dentistry in parliament, highlighting the absence of adequate dental access in rural areas, and calling on the Government to help resolve the issue by providing NHS dentists with a renegotiated contract.

This comes after reports from constituents in North Shropshire waiting over five years for an NHS dentist. Others have even turned to DIY dentistry, with one constituent pulling a tooth out with plyers because they couldn’t see a dentist.

Liberal Democrats are pushing for an end to ‘dental deserts’ in areas like Shropshire, and are campaigning to guarantee access to an NHS dentist for everyone needing urgent and emergency care.

Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, said, “In Shropshire, people can’t see a dentist when they urgently need one.

“The root of the problem lies with poor NHS dental contracts, and if we want to encourage more dentists to areas like Shropshire this must be reformed.

“People are even at the point of pulling out their own teeth. This cannot go on.

“We must end ‘dental deserts’ - and make sure everyone can access the care they deserve.

“The Government must step up and rapidly renegotiate the NHS dental contract to end this crisis.”