Liverpool dental costs top UK league

Mar 27 2008 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

AREAS of Liverpool have the highest amount of NHS money spent on dental care in the country.

A report from the Information Centre for health and social care states £78 per head was spent on dental care by Central Liverpool PCT in 2005-6 – double the national average of £39.

Spending by every PCT in Cheshire and Merseyside was above average except South Liverpool, which stood at £32.50 per head – less than half its neighbour to the north.

Birkenhead and Wallasey PCT’s spending in 2005-6 stood at £68.30 per head, and Southport and Formby’s was £58 per head.

And the increase in spending in Merseyside and Cheshire between the years of 1997-8 and 2005-06 was also the highest in the country, standing at 70%.

A spokesman for the British Dental Association (BDA) said high figures in specific areas could be due to a number of factors, includ-ing a low standard of dental health, meaning individuals having more work on their teeth.

The report as a whole suggests there are wide variations in spend-ing across England, with Hampshire D and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority spending £30 per head, an increase of 25% over 1997/98 figures.

The data refers to spend in England on NHS dental care before the new dental contract came into force on April 1, 2006.

The contract has come in for heavy criticism. Figures published in February suggest patients are not getting improved access to dentists as a result of its implementation.

More than 500,000 fewer patients have been seen over the last two years compared with the two years before the contract was introduced.

Liverpool PCTs have now merged in a city wide body – Liverpool PCT.

A spokesperson said: “We would need to carry out further analysis of the data to understand the figures.

“Liverpool Primary Care Trust has always been dedicated to provid-ing the best possible NHS dentistry services and we will continue to work with the industry to ensure this commitment continues.”

lizawilliams