Labour failing to deliver on Dental Service

Local Liberal Democrats revealed shocking figures which showed the extent of Labour's failure to provide adequate dental services for local people.

In Blackburn with Darwen there was a 32% drop in the number of adults registered with an NHS dentist between 1997 and 2005. Commenting on the figures Liberal Democrat Councillor David Foster said " These figures are truly shocking - they are far worse than the national average, where there has been a 12% drop."

Commenting on the announcement of the number of dentists failing to sign up to the new Government contract, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Steve Webb MP said:

"If the Government thinks that NHS dentistry is in a good state, they are living in cloud-cuckoo land.

"Their own figures show that hundreds of dentists have pulled out of the NHS because of the new contract.

"In addition many more are cutting their hours or are in dispute over their contract.

"The long-term future of NHS dentistry looks bleak unless the Government urgently review the new contract.

"Without a change of heart by the Government, NHS dentistry will be entering a terminal decline."