The Rt. Hon Alistair Burt MP, Minister of State for Community and Social Care, met with Kevin Hollinrake MP last week to discuss the provision of NHS dentist appointments in Thirsk and Malton.
Mr. Hollinrake had previously met with the Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt MP, in Westminster last month. They also spoke about dentistry services in the constituency’s market towns where residents are struggling to find NHS appointments.
During Mr. Hollinrake’s meeting with Mr. Burt they talked about a review currently being undertaken into dental provision across Yorkshire and the Humber. This should be concluded later in the year and would inform a strategy for dealing with the current problem. Mr. Hollinrake urged NHS England to ensure that surgery lists in the constituency were open to new applicants as soon as possible. The MP says he will continue to push for action.
“Despite clear demand from patients and available surgery capacity, there are no dental surgeries able to accept NHS patients in Thirsk, Malton, Pickering or Easingwold. The responsibility for this clearly lies with NHS England who we have had to chase constantly for responses to our demands for action. The Minister was very supportive and we will not rest until we get to a position where surgeries are accepting new patients. Public Health England are now undertaking a review of need and demand across North Yorkshire. We have been promised an answer by September, but we won’t take no for an answer.”