In his first Prime Minister’s Questions, Rishi Sunak was asked what lies ahead for NHS dentistry.
The question came from Heather Wheeler, MP for South Derbyshire, who asked the PM “to make it clear to the British Medical Council and the British Dental Association that as well as more training spaces opening up, that they must allow more doctors and dentists to work in the UK so that the good people of South Derbyshire can get treatment on the NHS.”
The access crisis has been at the forefront of debate in the dental sector for months. The former health secretary, Thérèse Coffey MP, had stated her priorities would be “ABCD” – ambulances, backlogs, care, doctors and dentists.
In response to Heather’s question, prime minister Rishi Sunak said, “I am pleased that there are 3,500 more doctors and over nine thousand more nurses working this year than last. But she is right, and we are working to simplify the registration for dentists in particular that are not trained here to practice here. That’s how we’ll help deliver a long-term workforce plan for the NHS and ensure everyone can get the care they need.”
On October 25, 2022, Steve Barclay MP replaced Thérèse as the health secretary. Steve had previously held the role between July and September 2022.