No Dental Access Scheme treatment available in Derry City

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has responded to Derry City and Strabane District Council regarding its concerns about access to Health Service Dentistry, for vulnerable groups in particular.

Speaking at June’s full Council meeting on Wednesday, Cllr Martin Reilly (SDLP) highlighted that the Minister’s reply indicated there were only four locations in the Western Health and Social Care Trust where vulnerable people could obtain Dental Access Scheme treatment.

“Three of these locations are in Limavady and only one is in the Council area - in Strabane,” said Cllr Reilly.

The aim of the Dental Access Scheme is to improve access to health service dental care during the working week for unregistered dental patients experiencing an emergency, urgent, or pressing dental condition.

To be eligible to be seen, individuals must not be registered with a dental practice, or a private scheme, and must be experiencing an emergency, urgent or pressing dental condition.

Emergency and urgent dental conditions include: dental swelling (spreading infection); trauma to teeth arising from an external force; and severe dental pain not controlled by over the counter medications.

Cllr Reilly added: “I think if we are following up with the Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG) [which has the dental health remit], we should be looking at having provision available in this city.

“From a Western Trust point of view, having provision in the Strabane area and in the Limavady area and not having any provision in the Southern Sector of the Western Trust and in a city of this size needs to be addressed,” said Cllr Reilly.

Cllr Shaun Harkin said according to recent dental statistics, Derry had one of the lowest levels of dental coverage in the North.

“We also have the highest rate of dental extractions, fillings and crowns for children and adults across the North,” said Cllr Harkin, “and we are number one for tooth decay.

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“So the urgency for us to get an idea of what is being planned to address this is critical.

“A lot of people don’t really know how our dental system works because it’s chaotic at the moment. I know there has been some money put into it but it falls far short of addressing the problem,” said Cllr Harkin.

Ald Derek Hussey (UUP) added that regarding the Health Minister’s reply to Derry City and Strabane District Council, he would like to know how much [dental] funding had come into the Western Trust area and into the Council area.

He added: “Because I can’t see the result. Where has this money gone and why haven’t we got our first slice of it?”