Calls for First Minister to correct ‘misleading statements’ on Welsh dentistry

Emily Price

Calls have been made for First Minister Eluned Morgan to retract and correct “misleading statements” she is alleged to have made about dental services in Wales.

Plaid Cymru’s North Wales MS Llŷr Gruffydd wants Baroness Morgan to apologise to Welsh dentists following answers she gave to questions he raised in a recent meeting of the Senedd’s Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister.

During the session in March, the First Minister claimed dentists had received a financial uplift greater than GPs.

She also claimed that NICE guidelines state that people with healthy teeth only need to see their dentist every two years.

Rebuttal

But in a hard-hitting rebuttal letter, the British Dental Association (BDA) has said that GPs received an 11% financial uplift – whereas dentists got 6%.

The BDA also said that 24 months is the “maximum period” of time patients with healthy teeth can go without seeing a dentist and that children in particular need to be seen far more frequently.

In the strongly worded letter, the BDA’s Welsh Chair, Dr Russell Gidney, called on Baroness Morgan to retract the two statements and correct the record.

He also raised concerns about another statement the First Minister made during a Plenary session in the Senedd on December 3.

Speaking in the Chamber last year, Baroness Morgan said: “There is a real shortage in terms of supply of dentists – this is not a Welsh-only issue.”

The BDA has argued that there are “more dentists in Wales than ever before” with General Dental Council data showing that numbers have been rising steadily every year for several years.

Dr Russell Gidney said the problem is that fewer dentists are being attracted into the NHS or staying in the NHS because of the terms of service.

He has asked for any future statements from the First Minister on the issue to be made “with greater respect to the facts at hand”.

‘Misled’

The Welsh Government says the new dental contract is aimed at being fairer and more transparent in terms of remuneration and is a first step to address the issue of providing sustainable NHS dentistry.

Plaid Cymru’s Llŷr Gruffydd says Baroness Morgan “wilfully misled the Senedd and wider public”.

He has written to the First Minister and the Senedd’s Llywydd, Elin Jones, calling for the record to be corrected.

Mr Gruffydd said: “The First Minister should be ashamed of herself for wilfully misleading the Senedd and wider public about the crisis we face in NHS dentistry.

“Rather than spin a confection of untruths, she needs to correct the record and apologise to the BDA and everyone else who works in dentistry in Wales.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to providing better access to NHS dentistry for those most in need and at risk and to making NHS dentistry more attractive to dentists and their teams.

“The consultation on the proposed new contract is now live, for the public and professional alike to have a say in shaping these once-in-a-generation reforms.

“Dentists received a 6% uplift to their contract last year, which includes pay and expenses.

“GPs received a 6% uplift to pay and a separate non-recurrent stabilisation payment as a result of positive, yet challenging negotiations undertaken in social partnership.”