I read the news today oh boy! Page 2,768

And yet you all pop up to denigrate anyone who cares about the St George's Cross.

As I've said before, I care about the St. George's Cross & the Union Jack.
Hence my anger when I see it hijacked by people who's values are abhorrent.

Dentistry in this country is an absolute joke - another tory failure

You've got more chance in a bloody war zone

"Ukrainian mother living in Wiltshire says she returned to her war-torn country because she could not access NHS dental care.

Natalia Negreba has recently had root canal work done in the city of Dnipro.

The 36-year-old said she was in "excruciating" pain, but could not find NHS dental care or afford to pay for private treatment.

The care board that covers Wiltshire said it had laid on "additional urgent dental care appointments" since 2021.

Dnipro, which is fewer than 100km (62 miles) from the front line, was on the receiving end of a devastating wave of attacks by Russian forces in December."

Finding an NHS dentist is near impossible and private treatment for root canal work is expensive but surely it's cheaper and safer than travelling to Ukraine. Taking her three year old child with her seems unnecessarily irresponsible. Some A&E departments can provide emergency dental treatment or at the very least provide a referral to an NHS dentist.

I spent over a year phoning dentists to be told the NHS books were closed and to call back in a few months. I eventually found one who was taking on NHS patients for several months and the place was always full of new patients registering. My last treatment was over two appointments about six weeks apart and the second visit where I was expecting some cavity work done was just a cleaning. It makes me wonder if the practice could be falsifying records to show treatment that wasn't done so they make more money from it. I keep meaning to call them and query what treatment was provided for my last visit to see if they mention anything besides cleaning.

Quote: lofthouse @ 4th April 2024, 12:43 PM

Dentistry in this country is an absolute joke - another tory failure

From "Denristy" 3 May 2007:

Tony Blair has acknowledged that the government has failed in its promise to provide access for all to an NHS dentist.

In September 1999 the Prime Minister pledged that within two years everyone would have an NHS dentist no matter where they lived. Eight years later, less than half of the adult population is registered.

After being directly challenged at Prime Minister's question time by Liberal Democrat MP Mark Hunter, who asked when the promise would be fulfilled, Mr Blair replied: 'It is and has been a real problem. I entirely accept that.'

But he went on to add that he was powerless to prevent dentists leaving the NHS for the private sector, saying: 'The reason for it is very simple: even though we have increased the number of NHS dentists, we cannot stop dentists going outside the NHS if they wish to do so.

'They are entitled to do that and despite the fact that we are paying far more and hiring far more within the NHS, we have not been able to fulfil that pledge'.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Sandra Gidley added: 'The Prime Minister cannot shirk responsibility for the exodus of dentists from NHS work. It is very much his fault. It was his ill-thought out and rushed dental reforms which have caused so many dentists to opt out of the NHS and which left many dentists with no money to carry out NHS work'

https://dentistry.co.uk/2007/05/03/i-broke-dentist-pledge-admits-blair/

Quote: Billy Bunter @ 4th April 2024, 1:34 PM

From "Denristy" 3 May 2007:

Tony Blair has acknowledged that the government has failed in its promise to provide access for all to an NHS dentist.

In September 1999 the Prime Minister pledged that within two years everyone would have an NHS dentist no matter where they lived. Eight years later, less than half of the adult population is registered.

After being directly challenged at Prime Minister's question time by Liberal Democrat MP Mark Hunter, who asked when the promise would be fulfilled, Mr Blair replied: 'It is and has been a real problem. I entirely accept that.'

But he went on to add that he was powerless to prevent dentists leaving the NHS for the private sector, saying: 'The reason for it is very simple: even though we have increased the number of NHS dentists, we cannot stop dentists going outside the NHS if they wish to do so.

'They are entitled to do that and despite the fact that we are paying far more and hiring far more within the NHS, we have not been able to fulfil that pledge'.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Sandra Gidley added: 'The Prime Minister cannot shirk responsibility for the exodus of dentists from NHS work. It is very much his fault. It was his ill-thought out and rushed dental reforms which have caused so many dentists to opt out of the NHS and which left many dentists with no money to carry out NHS work'

https://dentistry.co.uk/2007/05/03/i-broke-dentist-pledge-admits-blair/

Quite right, Billy, it's absolutely ridiculous to expect the party that's been in power for fourteen years to have done anything to improve the situation.

Billy's right - it was a flawed policy.
Naive to think dentists would not act in their own, rather than their patient's, interest.
Chip is also right - this could and should have been sorted over the last decade and a half.
Hopefully a new administration will take a more radical look at this.
Dentists, like GP's, used to be relatively well-rewarded, upstanding members of the community.
Now everyone thinks they deserve a swimming pool.

Quote: chipolata @ 4th April 2024, 2:29 PM

Quite right, Billy, it's absolutely ridiculous to expect the party that's been in power for fourteen years to have done anything to improve the situation.

I accept that that is so. But that is not what Lofthouse said. He did not say that the Tories have had 14 years to put right all the cock-ups that Labour previously made. He said that dentistry in this country was "another Tory failure". Just putting him right on that score. Just, once again, pointing out that a forthcoming Labour government is not the equivalent of the cavalry appearing over the horizon to the rescue as many seem to believe.

Oh, you're the one who reads his posts, I often wondered.

Quote: Billy Bunter @ 4th April 2024, 4:52 PM

Anyway I'll be off again now. Hopefully for another four months.

Okay dokey

Hopefully by the time you come back our country will be run by actual grown up adult politicians instead of the worst group of lying, corrupt, xenophobic, immoral, sleazy, incompetent, self serving scumbags in the entire political history of this nation

Bye 👋

Well Reform UK Ltd have just sacked two of their candidates

For - get this! - racism!?

Wow

That's like being kicked out of the Roly-Poly's for being over-weight.

And your point being? That they were racist or they were sacked for it?
That's a good thing, isn't it?
Your implication that Reform are all racist but they kicked two out is a shock.

My implication is that a lot of these loons are racist cretins so I pretty much assumed it was tolerated

They rewarded Lee Andersons racist bullshit about Khan and all his Muslim mates , by giving him a job - rather than calling out his disgusting comments

Quote: lofthouse @ 4th April 2024, 6:51 PM

Hopefully by the time you come back our country will be run by actual grown up adult politicians

You'd like to think so but, given we're talking about modern day politicians, that's clearly not going to happen whoever wins.

I'd like to see this thread confined to actual grown up adult posts but clearly, with regard to one particular contributor, that's not going to happen either.