South Cumbria is facing a 'dentistry crisis' with patients having to wait 15 months for treatment.
Tim Farron, the MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, has written to the Chief Executive of the Morecambe Bay Hospitals Trust to call for action on the dentistry crisis after it emerged that patients were facing significant wait times.
A letter from the Trust’s Chief Medical Officer Jane McNicholas revealed that: “Within our Trust, we currently have 1,100 patients on the waiting list - with some patients waiting in excess of 65 weeks for their care.
"In addition, there are approximately 70 patients whose referrals are awaiting triage”.
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Figures from the NHS also show that almost 60% of adults in south Cumbria and Lancashire have not seen an NHS dentist in the past two years.
Meanwhile, nearly half (45%) of children in the area haven’t been seen a dentist in the last 12 months.
Writing to the Trust's CEO Aaron Cummins, Mr Farron said: “A 65 week wait time is jaw dropping and l wonder how that compares with other Trusts?
“The fact that there will be children and young teens on there who are waiting well over a year and then getting very irregular appointments thereafter to complete a course of treatment that often lasts a couple of years is dire, as they may miss the boat and end up carrying problems into their adult life.
“I wonder what assistance you need from me, as l am keen to see some much needed progress and increased capacity coming on stream."
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Miss McNicholas said the wait times were down to 'staffing, recruitment, equipment and service support'.
She added: "These issues are not unique to our Trust but are replicated in Orthodontic services within Lancashire and South Cumbria, and across the whole country.
"That said, we understand the impact this is having on our patients who have been waiting for the care that they need, and we have recently written to them to update them on what is being done to try to rectify the situation and any options that might be available to them.
"We will continue to work with our partners to do all we can to not only resume the service but also improve it going forward so patients get the best possible care in the right place."
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