• Contact us
  • About us
  • Digital edition
  • Online archive
Friday, May 9, 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Donald Campbell’s Bluebird to return to Ullswater

    Donald Campbell’s Bluebird to return to Ullswater

    Eden man shares his memories of VE Day, 1945

    Eden man shares his memories of VE Day, 1945

    Joan marks 100th birthday with special party

    Joan marks 100th birthday with special party

    Eden couple celebrate diamond anniversary

    Eden couple celebrate diamond anniversary

    Rethink your password in light of recent cyber attacks

    Rethink your password in light of recent cyber attacks

    Couple giving new life to outdoors kit in Penrith

    Couple giving new life to outdoors kit in Penrith

    Fears Tebay to be ‘cut off like an island’ during months of bridge works

    Fears Tebay to be ‘cut off like an island’ during months of bridge works

    Thieves ransack treasured Penrith garden

    Thieves ransack treasured Penrith garden

    Lake District community saves village shop

    Lake District community saves village shop

  • Sport
    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    Cumberland and Westmorland wrestlers head to European championships

    Cumberland and Westmorland wrestlers head to European championships

    Kirkby Stephen Hockey Club win league title

    Kirkby Stephen Hockey Club win league title

    Dedicated Eden football volunteer wins major award

    Dedicated Eden football volunteer wins major award

    10-year-old footballer Casper Ostrowski snapped up by Morecambe

    10-year-old footballer Casper Ostrowski snapped up by Morecambe

    Kirkby Stephen U18s win bronze at national hockey championships

    Kirkby Stephen U18s win bronze at national hockey championships

    Penrith swimmer inducted into Cumbria hall of fame

    Penrith swimmer inducted into Cumbria hall of fame

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Donald Campbell’s Bluebird to return to Ullswater

    Donald Campbell’s Bluebird to return to Ullswater

    Eden man shares his memories of VE Day, 1945

    Eden man shares his memories of VE Day, 1945

    Joan marks 100th birthday with special party

    Joan marks 100th birthday with special party

    Eden couple celebrate diamond anniversary

    Eden couple celebrate diamond anniversary

    Rethink your password in light of recent cyber attacks

    Rethink your password in light of recent cyber attacks

    Couple giving new life to outdoors kit in Penrith

    Couple giving new life to outdoors kit in Penrith

    Fears Tebay to be ‘cut off like an island’ during months of bridge works

    Fears Tebay to be ‘cut off like an island’ during months of bridge works

    Thieves ransack treasured Penrith garden

    Thieves ransack treasured Penrith garden

    Lake District community saves village shop

    Lake District community saves village shop

  • Sport
    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    Cumberland and Westmorland wrestlers head to European championships

    Cumberland and Westmorland wrestlers head to European championships

    Kirkby Stephen Hockey Club win league title

    Kirkby Stephen Hockey Club win league title

    Dedicated Eden football volunteer wins major award

    Dedicated Eden football volunteer wins major award

    10-year-old footballer Casper Ostrowski snapped up by Morecambe

    10-year-old footballer Casper Ostrowski snapped up by Morecambe

    Kirkby Stephen U18s win bronze at national hockey championships

    Kirkby Stephen U18s win bronze at national hockey championships

    Penrith swimmer inducted into Cumbria hall of fame

    Penrith swimmer inducted into Cumbria hall of fame

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
No Result
View All Result
Home News

NHS dental patients in Eden being referred to practices in the North East and Lancashire

by CWH
9 October 2023
in Latest, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The lack of NHS dentists in Eden is resulting in people seeking free treatment being referred to practices in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, or Blackburn, Lancashire.

Patients are being expected to either travel miles out of the county for appointments or call NHS 111, with Eden and North Cumbria continuing to become a “dental desert”.

Next month, a health scrutiny committee for Westmorland and Furness Council plans a deeper delve into the issue by hearing from NHS bosses.

Committee chair, councillor Janet Battye, said: “Access to NHS dentistry is a massive problem for so many residents across Westmorland and Furness.

“Time and time again I’m hearing stories of people having to travel out of the area just to get a basic check-up.

“We will be looking at this very issue next month when we’ll be asking the integrated care boards what is being done to increase provision so people can get vital dental treatment.”

This week, Penrith dentist John Lewis, of the Ghyllmount Dental Practice, who is the chairman of the North Cumbria Local Dental Committee, gave his support to a new petition created by Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron.

Mr Farron has produced figures which state that more than 240,000 children in North Cumbria and the North East, have not seen a dentist in the past 12 months. Also, 1.1 million adults across that region have not seen a dentist in the last two years, he said.

The petition, signed so far by 1,700 people, calls on the Government to increase the number of dental appointments in rural areas; reform NHS dental contracts, and make it easier to recruit experienced dentists to fill vacancies in rural areas.

Mr Farron said: “The Conservative government has allowed NHS dental provision in Cumbria to reach crisis level, with far too many patients no longer able to access NHS treatment. Having heard from dentists, patients, and having raised this in the House of Commons, we need to show the strength of public support for fixing this crisis. Some of the stories I have heard from residents unable to access care are appalling, including people forced to turn to dangerous DIY dentistry. This issue cannot simply be ignored.”

Private patients not on care plans can also expect to pay more than £70 for an examination as a new patient, and more than £60 for routine hygiene work like scale and polish — rising to hundreds of pounds for fillings, crowns and bridges.

Waiting times for appointments, surgeries and check-ups have continued to grow as dentists try to make headway through the backlog created during the COVID pandemic with many no longer allowing new patients on to their rolls.

During lockdown, routine dental appointments were closed to only urgent appointments, while patient numbers at dentists fell with strict infection prevention and control measures being imposed.

But the gap in treatments has now increased the “urgency and complexity” of dental work required by patients — further adding to the burden faced by practices.

NHS bosses for North Cumbria and the North East recently reported that demand for care remains “extremely high”.

Related Posts

Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC
Latest

Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

9 May 2025
Donald Campbell’s Bluebird to return to Ullswater
Latest

Donald Campbell’s Bluebird to return to Ullswater

9 May 2025
Eden man shares his memories of VE Day, 1945
News

Eden man shares his memories of VE Day, 1945

9 May 2025
Joan marks 100th birthday with special party
News

Joan marks 100th birthday with special party

9 May 2025
Eden couple celebrate diamond anniversary
Latest

Eden couple celebrate diamond anniversary

9 May 2025
Rethink your password in light of recent cyber attacks
Expert advice

Rethink your password in light of recent cyber attacks

8 May 2025
No Result
View All Result

Stay connected

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Most popular

Eden man shares his memories of VE Day, 1945

Eden man shares his memories of VE Day, 1945

9 May 2025
Brush up on your Herald history – a look back through our archives

Brush up on your Herald history – a look back through our archives

9 May 2025
Donald Campbell’s Bluebird to return to Ullswater

Donald Campbell’s Bluebird to return to Ullswater

9 May 2025
Joan marks 100th birthday with special party

Joan marks 100th birthday with special party

9 May 2025
Cheery character Derick Wilson was not afraid of hard work on the farm

Cheery character Derick Wilson was not afraid of hard work on the farm

9 May 2025
National honour for former Penrith mart manager

National honour for former Penrith mart manager

9 May 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Logo

33 Middlegate
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 7SY

Phone: 01768 862313
Email: news@cwherald.com

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190
VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • News
  • Sport
  • Farming
  • Property
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Your view

Useful links

  • Contact us
  • Photosales
  • Online archive
  • Buy your paper
  • Digital edition
  • North Lakes Living
  • Advertise
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2020

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
IPSO Logo
Review Your Cart
0
Discount
Add Coupon Code
Subtotal
Total Installment Payments
Bundle Discount
Checkout

 
0
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • more
    • North Lakes Living
    • Buy Photos
    • Buy your paper
    • About us
    • Contact us

© 2020 Cumberland & Westmorland Herald