It appears that one of my previous blog entries, ‘Like Pulling Teeth’ has struck a nerve with the Chief Executive of Wirral’s Primary Care Trust (PCT), and she has written to me to explain why.
In her letter, which you can read by clicking here, she thinks that my use of the word disgraceful was not justified, and her letter seeks to explain why.
Hey I am delighted that Wirral is performing better than the rest of the country with dentistry issues, however, and it does not matter how you wrap it up, the sad fact is that 3 out of every 10 people in Wirral do not have access to an NHS dentist. I am sorry but I maintain that is disgraceful.
I also maintain that Wirral’s Dentists do a tremendous job, and the problem is not of their making, equally it is not of the PCT’s making, it is solely down to this lousy Labour Government who introduced new dental contracts against the wishes of the dental profession.
I have to say I find it incredible that the Chief Exec of the PCT, indirectly through her letter is defending the actions of this lousy Labour Government.
Has she forgotten that in 1999, New Labour promised that EVERYONE would have access to an NHS dentist within two years, here we are nine years on, and still 3 out of 10 in Wirral don’t have that access!
Has she forgotten already that in the first year of the new dental contract the PCT had to cough up £1.4 million to support the service because of a shortfall in Government funding. That is £1.4 million that could have, should have been spent on other much needed services here in Wirral.
The lady doth protest too much!
Chris, well done for continuing to expose this issue, clearly Mrs Doran is very protective of her PCT, and there is nothing wrong with that, until of course its starts affecting her judgement, which in the case of dentistry it has. Keep poking, you will eventually find the right people to extract!
[...] I have had many discussions, both face to face, and through correspondence with Kathy Doran, the Chi…, and whilst I accept that perhaps Wirral is doing better than the rest of the country, the fact is, nearly one million people are not getting access to NHS dentists, and those that can, many are simply struggling to afford the cost. [...]