People have told of their anger at the latest hike in NHS dental charges to disguise “stealth cuts” to the service”
The British Dental Association has also released new analysis showing how struggling families will be again asked to pay more, so the government can pay less.
Now patient charges will be almost two thirds higher than they were back in 2010 with a check up rising from £16.50 to £27.40.
Had government contributions increased at the same rate the total budget would now be close to £4.5billion – which the BDA calculates would tackle the crisis and restore access for millions to an NHS dentist.
Tory claims
Today, The British Dental Association shared a clip of Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride and wrote: ‘”We did a great deal to invest in dentistry”. This comment from Shadow Chancellor @MelJStride is demonstrably false.
‘The last govt kept the NHS dental budget flat for a generation, and didn’t put a penny of new investment into its ‘Recovery Plan’. A new govt must change tack.’
Recently, Shiv Pabary, chair of the BDA’s General Dental Practice Committee, also said: “Had past Governments increased funding at the same rate they ramped up charges, there would be an extra £1.5bn in the pot, and a basis for universal access. Chancellors may claim ‘we are all in this together’, but this is the reality for NHS dentistry. If this service is going to have a future, Rachel Reeves needs to put down George Osborne ’s playbook.”
