COLUMN: “Welshpool and Newtown’s NHS dentistry crisis”
“There's much to celebrate about life in Powys. Yet alongside the positives, we face considerable challenges, and among them is access to healthcare. In this column, I want to focus specifically on access to NHS Dentistry – or, more precisely, the lack of it.
Last month, the last dental practice in Welshpool announced it would cease offering NHS appointments from April. It’s also impossible to secure a new NHS dental appointment in Newtown, leaving residents in both towns and the wider area, without access to NHS dentistry.
In recent weeks, dozens of people contacted me with concerns about NHS Dentistry provision in Welshpool, following a letter sent out by ‘mydentist’ to its patients.
There was significant confusion, as the letter stated that no NHS appointments would be offered from April, yet in the same correspondence, the company claimed it would remain an NHS practice.
I have formally written to Powys Teaching Health Board to ask them for an explanation, as ‘mydentist’ has a contract with them to deliver an NHS dentistry service. This contract appears to remain in place, despite the company’s confirmation that they will not continue to deliver the service. It is vital that the Health Board provides clarity regarding the future of NHS dental provision in the area.
As well as the situation in Welshpool, it’s also impossible to secure an NHS dental appointment in Newtown. The situation has forced many to travel for up to three-hour round trips for basic dental care, which is simply unacceptable in the 21st century. The impact on families, the elderly, and those without private transport is particularly severe.
The Welshpool announcement coincides with the introduction of a new Welsh Government dental contract, which will take effect in April. This new contract is clearly not working if dentists are not taking on or are abandoning their NHS contracts. There is a risk that these changes could further erode access to care, particularly in rural areas.
This is the first significant overhaul of the dental system in two decades. The existing model requires dentists to recall all patients every six months, regardless of clinical need. Under the new contract, appointments will be based on individual oral health requirements. While these changes may be well intentioned, serious questions have persisted for some time about how the reforms will address the practical challenges unique to rural Wales.
Dentists have been expressing concerns that the new performance targets are untested and may expose practices to financial risk. The British Dental Association warned last year that some practices were already contemplating reducing their NHS commitment or withdrawing altogether, as they cannot afford to meet targets in areas where patients require more time and resources.
There’s not a shortage of dentists, far from it. The Government must introduce policies to attract dentists to work in rural Wales, with practical steps such as deploying mobile dental clinics, providing targeted incentives for dentists serving in rural areas, and subsidies to offset the additional costs of rural practices. These interventions are urgently needed if we are to restore confidence in the system and ensure fair access for all.
I raised the NHS Powys Dentistry crises in the Senedd this week. Unfortunately, in my view, we have a Welsh Government Health Minister that does not understand Rural Wales. Let’s hope the next Welsh Government considers the views of the Dentistry profession and the suggestions I and others have put forward.”
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