Dental report welcome but questions still remain - Randerson

1.11.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 11th Jul 2008

The dental system in Wales has failed patients

Welsh Lib Dem Spokesperson for Health Jenny Randerson AM has given a cautious welcome to the publication of the Task and Finish group report into NHS Dentistry in Wales.

The report makes 24 key recommendations and more areas will be addressed in the near future.

Jenny Randerson said: "I have made no secret of the fact that I have very little faith in the NHS contract and have made repeated calls for it to be ripped up and started again. The report concludes that the contract could be made workable, but the conclusion that the UDA is unworkable and a basket of indicators is needed to make the contract work shows how the contract has failed. Fundamentally reforming the UDA - to include proper reward for the preventative work which dentists want to do, and which saves the NHS money - would be tantamount to starting again. I would of course welcome this. The problem with the UDA is that it was never piloted so there was no opportunity to test whether it would work or not. That is why we are in the situation where dental patients across Wales are not receiving the service they deserve.

"I welcome the proposal to extend the ring fencing of dental budgets for another three years. This review is far reaching, but I still believe that the contract has yet to prove itself workable. That may happen if these recommendations are all implemented, but I remain slightly sceptical. Only time will tell."

Notes:

1. Jenny Randerson has long claimed that the dental contract is failing. She issued a dental action Plan 2 years ago. It is available at http://www.welshlibdems.org.uk/documents/dentalactionplandan2.pdf

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