More Lambeth residents are having to get emergency dental treatment in hospital because of a lack of access to NHS dentists, according to new figures.
Statistics for 2007-08 for Lambeth Primary Care Trust, extracted by the Conservatives, show 133 people received emergency dental treatment in hospitals, costing the local NHS an estimated £79,215. It is thought most of this has to be borne by already over-stretched A&E departments.
Recent NHS figures also reveal 52 per cent of the population across Lambeth have not been seen by an NHS dentist in the last two years.
Across the country some 22,000 people had to be admitted to hospital for emergency dental treatment last year, costing an estimated £13m.
Rahoul Bhansali, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Streatham, said: “These figures underline once again the Labour Government’s appalling failure on NHS dentistry.
“Some 52 per cent of people across Lambeth have been unable to see an NHS dentist. It comes as no surprise that 133 people have been forced to hospital last year for emergency dental care – straining our over-stretched A&E departments still further.”
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