New Health Secretary focuses on dentistry
07 September 2022
Thérèse Coffey was appointed as the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and Deputy Prime Minister yesterday by incoming Prime Minister Liz Truss.
In a recent post-appointment television interview Dr Coffey said her priorities for the coming weeks were “ABCD” – ambulances, backlogs, care, doctors and dentists.
Dr Coffey has previously championed dental access in her Suffolk constituency, recently commenting that, “The lack of NHS dental provision has become an increasing issue here in East Suffolk and I’ve been constantly pressing the case on behalf of patients … at a time when people are struggling to access care, even resorting to pulling out their own teeth and the campaign group Toothless in Suffolk has been formed to fight for better provision in the county. I have much more confidence in the local NHS to address this key issue rather than the centre, which has been letting us down”. Now that Dr. Coffey is part of the ‘centre’ it will be interesting to see what action the Health Secretary will now propose.
The BDIA will continue to work with BDA and other colleagues and government on access and activity levels.
