Peter Aldous welcomes the Government’s plan to recover and reform NHS dentistry and calls on the Government to provide funding for a new treatment and training facility in the Norfolk and Waveney integrated care board area similar to the University of Suffolk’s innovative service that is about to open in Ipswich.
Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con)
I welcome this recovery plan, which provides the foundation for putting NHS dentistry on a sustainable long-term footing. I urge my right hon. Friend to continue her negotiations to replace the existing NHS dentistry contract as soon as possible, and to provide funding to the Norfolk and Waveney integrated care board so that the University of Suffolk can open a new treatment and training facility in our area, to replicate the innovative service that is about to open in Ipswich.
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Victoria Atkins)
I understand my hon. Friend’s point, and I commend him for his work to ensure that his constituents receive the care and help that they deserve. On training, I hope he has drawn out from the plan the emphasis that we are putting on long-term ambitions. We understand that we need to train more dentists and get internationally trained dentists registered in our system. We recognise the critical role that dental hygienists and therapists can play as well.