Chamber and committees

Perhaps broadening the question out as far as I can, I would say that this is about understanding where the issues are and, as we have just discussed, ensuring that everybody is aware of what services are available to them. Indeed, Dr Gilmore, you touched on the fact that the service is making people aware of not just what they are entitled to, but its availability.

I go, then, to Mr Visocchi for my key question. Do we have the resource to tackle increasing post-pandemic inequalities?

Finally, given that we are sitting in the COVID-19 Recovery Committee and are trying to map our way out of the current problem, I am looking for the positive steps that we can take in this building or in this environment that can help alleviate those issues. How do we plan our way out of the situation?

As most of my colleagues know, I am always interested in the prevention angle in relation to healthcare in general. It seems to me that, in dentistry, we need to look at it as a long-term solution. However, we have a short-term crisis, so how will we work our way out of it for the short term and for the long term? I am happy to hear from any of the witnesses on that.

I want to dig a bit deeper. The reality is that, for many people, dental treatment would be free of charge. What you are saying is that there are people who do not realise that dental treatment would be free of charge, so there is a marketing issue.

Thank you.

We are trying to look forward from the decisions that were made during the pandemic and the impact on dental services. Hindsight is 20:20, of course, so we can see what we would now do in a similar situation. Were the interventions and restrictions correct and appropriate, given where we are now, in relation to impacts and slow recovery? Looking back, were the decisions that were made the right ones?

Good morning, panel. I would like to dig a little bit into the issue of inequalities. As we heard in the last session, inequalities were already increasing, but the pandemic has exacerbated them quite dramatically.

I suggest that we really need to look both at how we reduce inequalities and at the whole prevention agenda. As someone eloquently put it earlier, dentistry has been, to a great degree, untapped in terms of the prevention agenda. With prevention and inequalities in mind, what role can health boards play in reducing inequalities in dental care and oral hygiene?

You might have a role in politics, in that case.

I am trying to find the solution here. We know that big issues have arisen, that inequalities are increasing and that there is a problem with, for example, the length of time between treatments, which increased so much during the pandemic. In the earlier evidence session, we heard again about an increase in the treatment required by patients. There is a perfect storm with regard to the squeeze on NHS dentists’ time, and we need to look at a long-term strategy for bringing the inequality level back down again—or, at least, preventing it from rising any further before we do so.

I want to widen the discussion out. I am happy to take comments from any member of the panel, but I will give Ms McElrath another chance to come back on to the path.

Do the other witnesses want to comment?

I will just give Ms McElrath the opportunity to respond. Do you have anything that you would like to add?