Summary of report content
Healthwatch Rotherham reported on issues with access to NHS dentistry in the local area. This included data collected in an online survey, enquiries and case studies, and contacting dental practices directly.
279 people responded to the online survey which ran between December 2021 and January 2022. The survey looked at appointment waiting times, registering with an NHS dentist in Rotherham, and patient satisfaction.
Key survey findings
- 70.3% of participants are currently registered with an NHS dentist
- 88% have attempted to book an appointment within the last 12 months, with 16.7% being unsuccessful
- Of those who are not registered, 66.4% have attempted to register with an NHS dentist and only 22.8% have been successful
Healthwatch Rotherham also contacted eighteen NHS dental practices and found that only two were accepting new patients. Many of the practices did not have a waiting list and for those that did, they were up to two and a half years long. Only one dental practice’s information was correctly listed on the NHS ‘Find a Dentist’ tool, with seven stating that they were taking on new patients, when in fact they were not.
A number of recommendations are made in the report.
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Network Impact
Relationships that exist locally, regionally, nationally have benefited from the work undertaken in the report
Implied Impact
Where it is implied that change may occur in the future as a result of Healthwatch work. This can be implied in a provider response, press release or other source. Implied impact can become tangible impact once change has occurred.
Tangible Impact
There is evidence of change that can be directly attributed to Healthwatch work undertaken in the report.