Written question WQ92513
- Asked by
- Paul DaviesConservative
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 8 days
Question
Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on progress to increase access to NHS dental care for patients in west Wales?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
Since April 2022, the majority of practices have been working under the principles of dental reform, which focuses on prevention and needs based treatment. The capacity released by this shift has allowed more than 323,000 new patients to gain access across Wales, including more than 30,000 people in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area.
To support the recruitment of dentists in rural areas, HEIW have put together an enhanced offer to encourage future dental trainees to complete their foundation year in rural dental practices. In addition to a £5,000 salary uplift, dentists taking up the offer will also be provided with enhanced academic and wellbeing support. Six of the 10 posts awarded so far have been in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area.
Hywel Dda will soon be announcing a number of new contracts that have been comissioned across the health board.