Health and Social Care

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, opened the debate by acknowledging the significant challenges facing the NHS, particularly in the area of NHS dentistry. He stated that 13 million people in England have unmet dental needs, and that rotting teeth are the most common reason for children aged 5-9 being admitted to hospital. Streeting pledged to meet with the British Dental Association immediately to begin discussions on contract reform and rebuilding NHS dentistry. The official opposition, represented by the shadow Secretary of State, Victoria Atkins, welcomed the new ministerial team but raised concerns about the cost of the junior doctors' pay demands, which she said would require either tax increases or cuts to patient services. Atkins also pressed Streeting on the government's plans regarding the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for young people. The debate that followed covered a wide range of topics, including the need to improve access to NHS dentists, particularly in areas like Norfolk and Sunderland that have been described as "dental deserts". Several MPs highlighted the challenges faced by their constituents in accessing both routine and urgent dental care. The ministers acknowledged the scale of the problem and outlined plans to provide 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments and reform the dental contract to make NHS dentistry more attractive. The discussion also touched on issues related to mental health services, with MPs calling for better access and support, particularly in rural areas. The ministers committed to recruiting 8,500 more mental health workers and rolling out young futures hubs in every community. Concerns were raised about the state of the NHS estate, with calls for investment in new hospital facilities, including in areas like Lancaster, Hillingdon, and Basingstoke. The Secretary of State acknowledged the need for honesty and clarity about the new hospitals programme, and promised to provide a realistic assessment of the funding and timescales. Throughout the debate, the new government team emphasized their commitment to working collaboratively with NHS staff, patients, and other stakeholders to develop a 10-year plan for reforming and rebuilding the health and social care system.