Health Department must now directly source appropriate PPE for dentists and bring forward investment in NHS dental services
90 percent of dentists reported to be without the right PPE to conduct Aerosol generating procedures such as fillings
Cross-community
Labour councillor Donal O’Cofaigh welcomed the last minute u-turn by
the Health Department to avert a crisis in dentistry in Northern Ireland
but called for more investment in NHS provision.
“I
wrote to Minister Swann yesterday to demand he urgently review the
pending closure of the five Emergency Dental Treatment Centres which
risked leaving
patients, in particular NHS patients, facing only one option when it
came to a toothache – that of having their tooth removed.
“The
plans to close the emergency treatment centres, which have provided
access to ‘aerosol generating procedures’ or AGPs such as drilling for
fillings
during the Covid lockdown, were timed to coincide with the full
reopening of dentists across Northern Ireland. But a major immediate
problem was that these dentists had not been issued with or able to
obtain privately the appropriate personal protective equipment
(PPE) to conduct AGPs - meaning that the only treatment that could be
offered for the more serious complaints was tooth extraction.
“Today’s
decision comes only on the back of mounting media coverage of the
crisis but whatever the reason for this belated action, I wish to
welcome it
as it averts the immediate prospect of a major dental crisis – in
particular impacting children, the elderly and the most vulnerable.
“I
also understand from dentists that have been notified that they will be
provided a payment of £500 per practice to fit staff for PPE and again
while
this is welcome it doesn’t address the pressing supply problems –
either in terms of appropriate PPE or specialists to do the ‘fit-outs’.
The Department has a responsibility to conduct this work and source the
appropriate PPE.
