HC Deb 22 November 1954 vol 533 cc768-9
37. Mr. Yates

asked the Minister of Health what dental facilities are available in Birmingham for children who are suffering pain and require emergency treatment.

Mr. Iain Macleod

Treatment may be obtained from dental practitioners under the general dental services, or in school clinics or in hospitals with dental departments.

Mr. Yates

Does not the Minister think it disgraceful that one child in my constituency should have to go to eight dentists, each of whom declined to extract the tooth, and that even the dental hospital would not take it out, so that the child remained six days in pain? Will he not take some action to see that this does not occur again?

Mr. Macleod

I know the case to which the hon. Member refers, and I am looking into it. It was not regarded by the hospital as a true emergency, whether rightly or wrongly, but the difficulty is that whereas doctors have lists and there is the tradition of the family doctor, dentists do not have people on their lists and, therefore, there is not the same link between their patients which I should like to see.

Mr. Yates

But does the Minister not consider that, in the case of a dental hospital, there should be an opportunity for children who are really suffering pain—particularly when parents take a child on two occasions—to have real emergency treatment?

Mr. Macleod

I should like to see rotas of dentists for emergency cases. I have suggested that in all areas. I suggested it in Birmingham, but the Birmingham dentists refused to undertake it. I cannot go further at this particular moment.

38. Mr. Yates

asked the Minister of Health how many dental patients are awaiting treatment at the Birmingham Dental Hospital; and how long it will be before the present waiting list is dealt with.

Mr. Iain Macleod

The total number waiting is 2,595 and the waiting periods vary according to the department from one day to 18 months.

Mr. Yates

Does the Minister not realise that the position here is much worse than it was when I raised the matter about six months ago? What opportunity is there in Birmingham, with a population of over one million, of dealing with this long waiting list? Cannot something be done? Is it not possible to have more accommodation instead of this overcrowded "barber's shop" in Birmingham?

Mr. Macleod

As a matter of fact, in the last few weeks, actually on the 5th of this month, I authorised further work to be carried out which will help the Birmingham Dental Hospital, although not in some of the worst cases; and it hopes to have this work in operation by the end of this financial year.

Mr. G. Jeger

If the Minister is encountering a certain amount of opposition on the part of the Birmingham dentists, could he not make use of the Army Dental Service to supplement the local dental services during this emergency period?