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Written question asked by Alex Mayer (Labour) on Friday, 30 August 2024, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 3 September 2024. It was answered by Stephen Kinnock (Labour) on Monday, 9 September 2024 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.


Dental Services: Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS dental provision in Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard constituency.

Answer

From 1 April 2023, the responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to all integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. In the 24 months to March 2024, 277,447 adults saw a National Health Service dentist in the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB, equal to 36% of the adult population in the ICB. In the 12 months to March 2024, 132,424 children saw an NHS dentist in the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB, equal to 55% of the child population in the ICB.

Patients unable to access an urgent dental appointment directly through an NHS dental practice are advised to contact NHS 111 for assistance. NHS dentists are now required to update their NHS website profiles at least every 90 days to ensure patients have access to up-to-date information on where they can access care.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
3431
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Dental services NHS Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk