5,000 signatures reached
To: Chief Dental Officer for Northern Ireland, Michael Donaldson
Save NHS Dentistry in Northern Ireland
Provide financial support to protect NHS dentistry services which are now under threat as a result of Covid19 Regulations.
The Health Department has applied a 20% cut to NHS payments to dentists here during the pandemic, in contrast with Scotland which has made extra money available.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-53458936
The Health Department has applied a 20% cut to NHS payments to dentists here during the pandemic, in contrast with Scotland which has made extra money available.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-53458936
Why is this important?
NHS services will be impossible to provide under the new Coronavirus Regulations, and those already in poverty will be hit hardest.
New regulations requiring dentists to vacate surgeries for one hour after carrying out ‘aerosol generating procedures’ such as drilling, fillings and root canals, will drastically reduce the number of patients they can see, and make it financially impossible for surgeries to offer treatment under the NHS.
Those in poverty often delay treatment due to the cost of dental charges. Without a good NHS system their oral health, including diagnoses of serious conditions like mouth cancer is going to suffer and their general health will follow suit.
New regulations requiring dentists to vacate surgeries for one hour after carrying out ‘aerosol generating procedures’ such as drilling, fillings and root canals, will drastically reduce the number of patients they can see, and make it financially impossible for surgeries to offer treatment under the NHS.
Those in poverty often delay treatment due to the cost of dental charges. Without a good NHS system their oral health, including diagnoses of serious conditions like mouth cancer is going to suffer and their general health will follow suit.
