
Health secretary won't give timing for dental contract reform
The dental contract was recently highlighted by the Public Accounts Committee as one of the main reasons for the NHS dentistry access crisisSpeaking on a visit to a GP surgery in Leighton Buzzard, Streeting told the BBC he was "hesitant to make specific promises about dates and deadlines" unless he knew he could fulfil them."There's one thing that is in even shorter supply than dentists and money in this country and that's trust in politicians," he said.The government's newly published 10-year health plan said by 2035 a new dental contract would be at the heart of a "transformed" NHS system.But Streeting said in the short term it would concentrate efforts on creating urgent dental appointments for people without a dentist and rolling out tooth brushing in schools.He stressed that the NHS was the "standout" winner in the recent spending review, giving the health department "a bit of extra capacity".But he admitted the situation was "challenging" and said he was looking at existing budgets to see how he could release money that was being "wasted".To reduce what it called "bureaucracy", the government has decided to abolish NHS England. Forty-two integrated care boards across the country have also been told to reduce their running costs by 50% by the end of the year and thousands of support roles are going at NHS trusts including hospitals.
Counties such as Norfolk have been labelled "dental deserts" because of the shortage of NHS Dentists.Pamela Widdison, a retired teacher from Watton, said she was in pain for seven months. She managed to get an emergency appointment for a tooth extraction but had to travel 20 miles to King's Lynn and still did not have an NHS dentist. "It's a two-tier system in this country," she said. "I'm sick of MP's promising us the earth... why should we have to suffer? We've got an increased population where I live, there should be equality of care. "I do not want anyone to experience what I have been through."She said she believed dentistry was a "vital infrastructure" and could not understand why the NHS was paying for weight loss injections while her town did not have an NHS dentist.
To improve access, the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich has been lobbying for the first dental training school in the east of England.Pro-vice-chancellor for medicine, Prof Philip Baker, admitted it would not solve everything overnight but would be "one contributor to really make a difference".
The nearest dental school to Norwich is 100 miles away in London. The UEA had its course approved by the General Dental Council but needed the government to rubber-stamp its application.The 10-year-plan said that newly-qualified dentists could be required to practice in the NHS for a minimum period of three years.Prof Baker said the UEA would do all it could to convince trainees to stay in the NHS permanently."Our dental graduates will understand the needs of their communities, understand how important having an NHS dental service is to the region."I guess we really want to instil that pride and that loyalty to the community."Streeting said he "would consider the case very carefully."
Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
31 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Grange Hill's Zammo star shaken by cancer scare after 'really common' symptom many consider harmless - issuing stern warning to fans
Grange Hill's Zammo McGuire star Lee Macdonald opened up about how he was left shaken by his recent cancer scare during an appearance on Monday's episode of Good Morning Britain. The actor - who played the beloved character between 1982 and 1987 on the BBC show - revealed his 'really common' symptom that many consider harmless and issued a stern warning to fans while chatting with hosts Susanna Reid, 54, and Richard Madeley, 69. 'Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that can spread to other areas of the body,' according to the NHS. Non-melanoma is 'more common and usually less serious'. Talking on GMB, Lee said: 'I had a scare a year ago, which was found to be non-cancerous. 'O2 are now doing a campaign for skin cancer and awareness, and on the back of that, I booked an appointment for the doctors, I got a little rash there [pointed at his cheek] and it turns out it's a keratosis, which is a pre-cancerous spot. 'So I'm going to have to get it burnt out.' He added: 'It could turn cancerous. It was just off the back of going and getting it checked out. 'I think we really need to concentrate on putting skincare on and looking at blemishes on your face. Go and get them checked out.' Susanna pointed out that skin cancer is something that the star is aware of because it happened to his dad. Lee explained: 'My dad was a driver, and for years he would sit with his arm out the window and my mum would go about his arm saying it's getting burnt all the time. 'Later in life he had skin cancer cut out from that arm.' Richard went on point out that back in the day Lee used to use sunbeds, and he thinks that contributed to his diagnosis. Lee said: 'Before I went to nightclubs years ago, I would lay on sun bed for an hour a week. That was from... I'd do a Tuesday and a Thursday from 17, up until I was about 26. 'That's what the doctor said it is. 'It's probably the sunbeds, rather than the sun, because I don't go out in the sun that much because of being aware of the risks.' The actor went on to confess that he goes fishing with his son every Sunday and he makes sure that he's wearing sun cream. Richard asked: 'Even if it's cloudy?' 'Yeah, funnily enough, he got told off by his step-mum because he went home burnt and it wasn't even that sunny,' Lee said. 'But the rays were coming through! So cover up at all times.' It comes after Lee spoke out being diagnosed with skin cancer on X, formerly known as Twitter, back in June 2024. He said: 'Went to the doctors today to check an unusual spot on my face! Doctor says it's cancer! 'As we older please keep an eye on anything unusual and hopefully get it looked at early!!! Booked in to get it sorted over the next couple of days!' During the interview, Susanna also asked about a possible Grange Hill reunion. Lee said: 'There's been a few whispers in the background, but it's still in the background. 'But I'd definitely be up for that! Absolutely.' Lee has also starred in various other TV shows over the years. He has landed roles in the likes of Birds of a Feather, The Bill, EastEnders and Anna and the Dead. Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX. What is malignant melanoma? Malignant melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that begins in melanocytes, cells found in the upper layer of skin that produce melanin, which gives skin its colour. While less common that other types of skin cancer, it is more dangerous because of its ability to spread to other organs more rapidly if it is not treated at an early stage. Symptoms A new mole or a change in an existing mole may be signs of melanoma. Melanomas can appear anywhere on your body, but they're more common in areas that are often exposed to the sun. Some rarer types can affect the eyes, soles of the feet, palms of the hands or genitals. Check your skin for any unusual changes. Use a mirror or ask a partner or friend to check any areas you cannot see. In particular, look for: Moles with an uneven shape or edges Moles with a mix of colours Large moles - melanomas often tend to be more than 6mm wide Moles that change size, shape or colour over time Causes Ultraviolet (UV) light is the most common cause of melanoma. It comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds. Melanoma is more common in older people, but younger people can also get it. You're also more likely to get melanoma if you have: Pale skin that burns easily in the sun Red or blonde hair Blue or green eyes A large number of freckles or moles Had a lot of sun exposure and you've had sunburn a lot in the past Used sunbeds a lot A history of skin cancer in your family or you've had skin cancer before If you have black or brown skin, you have a lower chance of getting melanoma, but you can still get it. Prevention Staying safe in the sun is the best way to lower your chance of getting skin cancer (both melanoma and non-melanoma). Do the following: Stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day (11am to 3pm in the UK) Keep your arms and legs covered and wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses that provide protection against ultraviolet (UV) rays Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 and at least 4-star UVA protection – make sure you reapply it regularly Make sure babies and children are protected from the sun – their skin is much more sensitive than adult skin Treatment Melanoma skin cancer can often be treated. The treatment you have will depend on where it is, if it has spread and your general health. Surgery is the main treatment for melanoma. Radiotherapy, medicines and chemotherapy are also sometimes used. Surgery could involve removing the melanoma and an area of healthy skin around it, swollen lymph nodes if the cancer has spread to them and other parts of the body if it has spread to them. If a large part of skin has to be removed, a skin graft might be needed which could see kin taken from another part of the body to cover the area where the melanoma was. Radiotherpay is sometimes used to reduce the size of large melanomas and help control and relieve symptoms. Targeted medicines and immotherapy are used to treat melanomas that can't be dealt with by surgery, or have spread to lymph glands or other parts of the body. Chemotherapy, which kills cancer cells, is sometimes used to treat advanced melanoma when it has spread to another part of the body. It does not work as well as other treatments, but can be used if you are unable to have them. How dangerous is it? Generally for people with melanoma in England: almost all people (almost 100%) will survive their melanoma for 1 year or more after they are diagnosed around 90 out of every 100 people (around 90%) will survive their melanoma for 5 years or more after diagnosis more than 85 out of every 100 people (more than 85%) will survive their melanoma for 10 years or more after they are diagnosed


Times
an hour ago
- Times
What is Send? How EHCP reform could lead to a fresh Labour row
Introduced under the Children and Families Act 2014, an Education, Health and Care Plan is a legal document designed to support children and young people aged 0-25 who have special educational needs and disabilities that cannot be met by the support available in mainstream settings. Eligibility is determined through a statutory needs assessment, typically initiated by a local authority. While parents or health professionals may request this, it is increasingly being done by schools. Securing an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) can be a lengthy and bureaucratic process, and in some cases, families appeal through tribunals to get support. • The dyslexia school run by a 90-year-old where pupils nail GCSEs Since they were introduced, the number of children on ECHPs has more than doubled to about 600,000, about one in 20 of all pupils. Spending on high needs children has risen by about 60 per cent to £11 billion, with special needs absorbing half of the increase in the overall schools budget. Another £3 billion increase is forecast over the next few years. Councils warn that the system is pushing them towards financial meltdown and the public accounts committee warned earlier this year that the special educational needs and disabilities (Send) crisis was 'an existential financial risk' for local authorities at was 'failing countless children'. Although there is evidence that more children are being diagnosed with conditions such as autism, much of the rise in ECHPs is thought to be because it is so hard for parents to get help any other way. Facing battles to get extra help for their children, legally enforceable rights are often the only option. Schools also have an incentive for pupils to seek ECHPs to apply for thousands of pounds in top-up funding, while councils are thought to be using them to push those with the highest needs into special schools. Despite all this, there is no clear evidence that educational results for children with special needs have actually improved. Little wonder that ministers describe the system as a 'lose, lose, lose'. An alternative vision, where more preventative help is given earlier, reducing the need for parents to launch an adversarial battle for an EHCP, could improve results all round and, perhaps, save money. The original argument for welfare reform was that more help earlier for people with disabilities to get jobs could reduce benefits spending. Politics quickly intervened and it appears now the same is rapidly happening with Send reforms. • Inside the Liverpool school with an in-house ADHD clinic There are some clear differences. Although the political timetable may make it look as though the government is turning to disabled children after finding it impossible to take money from disabled adults, in fact ministers have been planning reform to the system for months. The issue has long preoccupied Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, who is said to be devoting most of her attention to it. Labour's manifesto explicitly promised reform, saying the system was failing and pledging to improve 'inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools'. Crucially, unlike in welfare where the Treasury was determined to score billions of pounds in savings to help meet fiscal rules, in Send there is a promise of £760 million upfront to improve early intervention. For this reason, some MPs are more optimistic about a genuine win-win than a repeat of the welfare debacle. But for others, trust in government has evaporated after the attempt to force through disability cuts. The fact remains that any solution acceptable to the Treasury is likely to see fewer children with costly legal rights. For Labour, the big question after the welfare revolt, is whether it is politically possible to take any entitlements away from any vulnerable groups.


Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
John Swinney branded 'analogue politician' by Wes Streeting in NHS app row
It comes as England is expanding its NHS app before Scotland has even managed to get its version off the ground. John Swinney has been branded an "analogue politician" by Wes Streeting in a row over Scotland's "secondrate" NHS app, according to reports. It comes as England is expanding its NHS app before Scotland has even managed to get its version off the ground. Labour Health Secretary Streeting told The Times: "The UK Labour government is embracing technology to deliver a better NHS for patients and their families, giving them more control and transparency over their treatment. "In John Swinney the SNP have an analogue politician in a digital age and patients in Scotland are missing out. "The SNP have record funding and complete control of the NHS in Scotland. "There are no excuses for [not having an app in place] and it just shows why Scotland can't afford a third decade of the SNP. The UK Government announced proposals to improve England and Wales' NHS app last week - saying it would give patients a "doctor in your pocket". Scotland's version will only go on a limited trial earlier this year, with a full rollout not expected for till 2030. England's app came out six years ago and the plans will be implemented by 2028. Streeting's comments make him the first senior government minister to have a go at Scotland's NHS. Patients can order prescriptions as well as book GP appointments and manage hospital appointments on the English app. Last week Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the update means it will "become, as technology develops, like having a doctor in your pocket, providing you with 24-hour advice, seven days a week". The 2028 version is expected to allow people to book hospital appointments, interact with specialists and visit an AI doctor. The Scottish government said: "The NHS England App was developed to support England's NHS Trusts and is configured specifically to their IT infrastructure. We have already engaged extensively with NHS England and other health systems to explore how we can take learning from other approaches in developing our service. "Scotland's planned online app is for both health and social care and we will launch it in Lanarkshire by the end of 2025. National rollout will commence through 2026."