MP urges action on “jaw-dropping” NHS dental waiting times

An elected official is urging measures to address what have been described as “jaw-dropping” delays in accessing NHS dental services. Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament representing Westmorland and Lonsdale in Cumbria, has communicated with the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMB). This correspondence follows a revelation from the trust’s chief executive that certain patients faced waits exceeding 15 months for orthodontic treatment. Farron characterized these waiting times as “dire,” expressing apprehension that children and young people were receiving “very irregular” appointments, potentially leading to them “carrying problems into their adult life.” The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust has been contacted for a statement. According to Farron, the communication from UHMB’s chief executive, Jane McNicholas, indicated a waiting list of 1,100 patients, with an additional 70 individuals awaiting triage. Distinct data released by the NHS Business Service Authority demonstrated that 59% of adults residing in the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board region had not visited a dentist in the two-year period ending in March, a figure consistent with the national average. These figures further indicated that 40% of children in the same area had not had a dental appointment in the 12 months leading up to March, which is below the national average of 45%. In his letter addressed to UHMB’s CEO, Farron inquired about the assistance the trust required to address the extended waiting periods. He advocated for an expansion of capacity, aiming to ensure patients can be assured “their treatment plan will be adhered to and not elongated due to missed appointments and lack of staffing to deliver that care.”