County Hall, Norwich.
“Thinking outside the box” is urged as councillors discuss Norfolk dentistry review
by DAVID FREEZER
Friday, January 20, 2012
12:48 PM
Ensuring that dentistry services can be accessed from rural locations and by the elderly were two of the key messages to emerge from discussions about Norfolk’s dental health yesterday.
"We have made huge strides in improving dentistry in NHS Norfolk and patient satisfaction is high, but we are not there yet, it is an ongoing piece of work."
"We have made huge strides in improving dentistry in NHS Norfolk and patient satisfaction is high, but we are not there yet, it is an ongoing piece of work."
The potential of mobile dentistry units and transports aids were all discussed as “thinking outside the box” was urged by county councillors to health officials.
The discussions followed the publication of an NHS Norfolk and Waveney report on the current position of access to NHS dentistry in Norfolk.
The report was discussed by the Norfolk Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee at County Hall, which revealed that patient satisfaction in Norfolk is between 96 and 97pc – higher than the national average of 94pc.
It also noted that access to NHS dentistry has improved “significantly” since 2006, with £3.8m invested in NHS dentistry in Norfolk and £1m invested in the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area.
Nikki Cocks, director of independent contracts and providers at NHS Norfolk and Waveney, and Linda Hillman, consultant in dental public health at NHS Norfolk, both fielded questions from councillors about the report.
Ms Cocks told the committee: “We have made huge strides in improving dentistry in NHS Norfolk and patient satisfaction is high, but we are not there yet, it is an ongoing piece of work.
“There are two age groups which are not accessing their provision, the post-18 age group, who are perhaps used to getting it free and being nudged by their parents, and the other area is the elderly provision in care homes.
“In Great Yarmouth and Waveney there is a good scheme working on this and we want to piggyback on to that.”
Stephen Dorrington, county councillor for the Hingham division, said: “We have got to be thinking outside the box. One less journey for people, that’s what we have got to be thinking about.
“Even if it’s just taking moulds for false teeth at the same time as an appointment, or whatever, that could make a big difference.”
Mr Dorrington had earlier questioned whether mobile dentistry units could visit isolated areas and was told that one such service did still exist for basic care in the Great Yarmouth area.
Anthony Darwood, one of the authors of a report from Norfolk Local Involvement Network (Link), which was also being discussed, told Mr Dorrington: “I have worked in a dental caravan in my time and I can assure you it is not ideal and not something I would like to see come back.”
The Link report found that 24pc of the 58 practices responding to its own survey said they were unable to accept any new NHS patients.
Dentists said the problem was caused by a lack of government funding, compounded by worsening public transport links as patients were forced to look further afield for an available surgery.
The possibility of using mini-buses to transport groups of people to surgeries was also put forward.
Ms Cocks and Ms Hillman both agreed that they would be able to take away many of the points raised at the meeting to discuss whether they could be implemented by their organisations.
david.freezer@archant.co.uk
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23 comments
Is Shipshapeless a Moderator? Or girlfriend of one?
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Mad Brewer
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Z:).... ( or Norton et al )...we can't go meeting like this.
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LARSON.E. WHIPSNADE
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Norton....you once claimed you did not know who nrg is. Despite having online " conversations " with him . And despite being the same person. A split or dissociative disorder
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LARSON.E. WHIPSNADE
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Margery is Norton I'm Norton the list keeps getting longer I don't even know who Norton is. Mabye your Norton there larson as you sure do like to references him.
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Z:)
Monday, January 23, 2012
Larson I think we have discussed this before back up accusations with fact. If we were the same person I would know.
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margery
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Thank you for that" Margery"....conclusive proof that you , Mad Brewer , bookworm , Z:) , Merry dancer , and not forgetting nrg , and others are all Norton. Time for the moderator to act.
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LARSON.E. WHIPSNADE
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Larson you want a tin hat well whatever gets you off.
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margery
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Good larson. Smart guy knows where he isn't wanted.
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Z:)
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Z:)......Norton , take two valium and retire to a darkened room. Post what you like now , i'm off out....although something from nrg or Trifocals Margery on here would put the tin hat on it.
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LARSON.E. WHIPSNADE
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Larson are you still posting???!!!!???? I thought me and all the other people on this website made it clear we want you to leave. This Norton thing is getting kind of old. Don't make accusations you cant back up with fact.
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Z:)
Saturday, January 21, 2012
look larson--if you are reading these posts and commenting so eagerly--that makes you as sad and lonely as us.
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bookworm
Saturday, January 21, 2012
A pitiful series of posts by Norton under different names. Seek help , it may not be too late. One can only wonder at the sheer desperation and loneliness of his home life.
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LARSON.E. WHIPSNADE
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Its because I called whipsonade out now he wont leave me alone. Also he stopped commenting on my posts and is now going after me directly.
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Z:)
Saturday, January 21, 2012
bookworm + Z:)..... Well , that's another two Norton. Can Margery be far behind ?
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LARSON.E. WHIPSNADE
Saturday, January 21, 2012
i agree about opticians ripping people off. a plastic frame costs a pound to make i bet. the lenses can cost up to £100 EACH.
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bookworm
Saturday, January 21, 2012
I know how the elderly in rural areas can get access. This is thinking inside the box. Put funding back into the rural bus service you cut.
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Z:)
Saturday, January 21, 2012
You have got him in one MB.
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John L Norton
Friday, January 20, 2012
****, Just in case anybody thought it, I am not Norton***** Thank you Norton , i am reassured.
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LARSON.E. WHIPSNADE
Friday, January 20, 2012
Just in case anybody thought it, I am not Norton, bookworm or anybody else. Agree with Norton in general, but there are a few exceptions, like that South African chap. Solicitors and Estate Agents are low-life. Universally.
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Mad Brewer
Friday, January 20, 2012
Dentists along with vet's, solicitors, estate agents, opticians and many many more are what makes it rip-off Britain. They are in many cases nothing more than con men.
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John L Norton
Friday, January 20, 2012
merrydancer, I am ancient enough to remember that Iran was once called Persia! That change happened in 1935, which was before my time, but we learned about it at School. The official language of Iran is "Farsi", or Persian, still. Now you`ve let the cat out of the bag, I probably will be retrospectively vetoed. But that dentist, who was proud to call himself Persian, knew full well his body language was misleading. My next dentist was a South African. Lovely bloke. I didn`t understand a word he was saying, but he didn`t try to cheat me! I wish he were still available. I think he went to the Indian subcontinent to do voluntary (unpaid) dentistry and give something back. As I said, a lovely chap. Whatever I say won`t be PC enough!
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Mad Brewer
Friday, January 20, 2012
I once registered with a "National Health" dentist in Colchester. The costs to me were higher than when I was fortunate enough to be able to afford a private dental insurance scheme. I asked the dentist if there were any extra charges on top of what he had quoted. He shook his head. I took that as "No". There were many "extras". The dentist was a Persian, his head shake was equivalent to a nodded "yes". To him, anyway. I underlined the items I`d agreed to, crossed out the rest, paid by cheque and changed dentist. Now, a visit to a "National Health" dentist brings about a perfunctory check followed by a charge equivalent to £120 an hour. And that`s non-private. You never see a dentist on a bike. Since County Hall is a big box, maybe Councillors should try to get out more. Or practice thinking inside their box first.
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Mad Brewer
Friday, January 20, 2012
dentists coin it in.they should be told to put a list of charges up in the surgery.Mine does not and makes the charges up as he goes along.
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bookworm
Friday, January 20, 2012