Government expert calls for higher
patient charges for dentistry
16 September 2009 Breaking News
Higher patient charges will be required if the NHS is to provide a comprehensive dentistry service to all, according to the leader of the latest independent review of the system.
In an article for BBC Online, Professor Jimmy Steele says that the over 40s are "straining the NHS budget", arguing that many of the complex procedures they want, like root canals and crowns, are not really "needed". He suggests that the "rather awkward prospect of higher patient charges" may allow the NHS to provide a more extensive service to a larger number of people, claiming that they are "unlikely" to approach private fees.
Without more money coming into the system, new technology may not be adopted while access to complex treatments may be restricted by dentists, he warns.
Professor Steele also argues that by setting prices for consumers and pay rates for dentists, the NHS system "keeps a lid on costs and prices", challenging those that disagree to look at private rates for complex treatment and the cost of insurance in other countries.
"Turning parts of our previously managed dentistry out to the entirely free market might be good for dentists pockets, but the experience of other systems would suggest it could be divisive and very expensive for the citizen - not really a vote winner," he writes.
The latest figures from the NHS Information Centre show that there was a 45.5% decrease in complex treatments between 2003/04 and 2008/09. At the launch of his independent review of the service, Professor Steele warned that the public had lost trust in NHS dentistry.
The service is currently funded by £2.3bn from the taxpayer and £0.5bn from patients.
Health Insurance magazine 16 September 2009
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