As we know the Conservative party have pledged in every one of their manifestos since 2010 that they would “fix NHS dentistry and reform the fundamentally broken NHS contract”. And yes, here we are, 14 years later with minor, unambitious tweaks to a failing system which the BDA have likened to rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic. As we all know the recovery plan is anything but a recovery plan and we also realise that this is a zombie government at best, but that doesn’t stop us seeking changes.
Over the last few months, we as an LDC have meet with local MPs of all parties to show them the true coal face realities of NHS dentistry. We have raised issues with the recovery plan, we have raised issues with PCR, we have raised issues around workforce moral and recruitment and explained, in details, why the NHS dental contract needs fundamental reform. But above all, we show these MPs the truth of the spin released from Whitehall and ministers/civil servants.
However, we all know a general election is looming and we will have new MPs in post soon enough, so the wheel will spin again. However, this will not dampen our efforts as we plan to engage with the new MPs after the general election (whenever that may be) and keep pressing for true contract changes to reflect a service that the public deserve, that the dental team can work too and that HMRC is willing to fund. But above all else we will continue show these MPs the truth through all the Whitehall spin.