NHS Wales Haemorrhaging Dentists

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 6th Jun 2006

Between October 2005 and March 2006, 454 principal dentists left the NHS compared with only 65 joining according to Research initiated by the Welsh Liberal Democrats in the Assembly.[1]

Commenting on the figures, Michael German, leader of the Liberal Democrats in the National Assembly AM said "These figures show that a flood of dentists have left the NHS prior to the new contract.

"Losing one dentist is unfortunate, losing two is careless, losing 454 is bordering on the criminally negligent and a clear sign that the Labour Assembly Government has got it wrong with the new contracts. If there is a shortage of dentists then vital preventative work is put on the back burner.

Mr. German added, "The NHS is haemorrhaging dentists and it must be prevented from getting any worse for the people of Wales. It is clear that the new larger dental companies now opening up in Wales will not get near to plugging this gap in a service which was already woefully inadequate even before the latest flood of departures."

ENDS

DIWEDD