At the 15 March session of Mayor’s Questions, the Mayor supported the LDC Confederation’s Manifesto aims.
In response to a question from Emma Best AM (Conservative), who asked if the Mayor would support the LDC Confederation’s recommendations for reducing oral health inequality, the Mayor replied:
I understand that the LDC Confederation’s 2024 London Manifesto, published on 8 March, is calling for a sustainable, valued and accessible NHS dental service in London, an ambition which I fully support. We know that the lack of access to NHS dental care is resulting in poorer outcomes for the most disadvantaged, who are simply unable to afford private dental care. This situation disproportionately impacts those with the greatest needs such as children, pregnant women and those in receipt of low-income state benefits who are eligible for free NHS dental healthcare but are often unable to access it. It is vital, as a prerequisite, that the Government rapidly funds and implements the measures they recently announced to improve dental health in England and go further by fundamentally reforming the national NHS dental contract, to resolve the longstanding problems of access to NHS dentistry.
London Mayor, Sadiq Khan
Emma Best wrote an article for us last month, expressing her belief in the importance of dentists leading dental contract reform. In a follow up question, Emma asked the Mayor: “Will you commit to meeting the LDC Confederation to discuss improving access to dentistry for all Londoners?”
The Mayor replied:
As I set out in my response to MQ 2024/0945 (above) we know that the lack of access to NHS dental care is resulting in poorer outcomes for the most disadvantaged, who are simply unable to afford private dental care. And a recent Healthwatch survey found that the more disadvantaged find it harder to access NHS dental care – the group that needs it most. The Government must take urgent action to resolve the longstanding problems of access to NHS dentistry. It must rapidly fund and implement the measures it recently announced; it must go further and fundamentally reform the national NHS dental contract and ensure practices provide up-to-date information on taking NHS patients. I will consider how best to support the NHS, including in collaboration with the LDC Confederation, to improve access for the most disadvantaged Londoners. I would be happy for GLA officers to meet with the LDC Confederation to discuss their work.
London Mayor, Sadiq Khan
We look forward to meeting with GLA officers and working with all our local partners to achieve our vision of a sustainable, valued and accessible NHS dental service for London.
