People with learning disabilities are missing out on vital dental care because of aggressive fines.
That’s the view of Charlotte Waite, who chairs the British Dental Association (BDA) England Community Dental Services Committee.
Charlotte Waite, of the British Dental Association, says fines have pushed millions to miss out on dental care
Now the National Audit Office has launched an investigation into the concerns.
The BDA says the policy has seen “over 400,000 often high-needs patients a year” fined £100 for ticking the wrong box on claim forms.
Many fined are on low incomes, including people with learning disabilities.
Collapse in patient attendance
The BDA points to a collapse in attendance among patients who are exempt from charges.
Official figures show a fall of two million treatments for patients exempt from NHS charges since 2013/14. This equates to a drop of nearly a quarter (23 per cent) in four years.
Meanwhile, the number of fines has risen more than 10-fold in the past five years. There were 33,887 in 2012/13, mushrooming to 427,238 in 2017/18. When patients appealed, nine out of ten (90 per cent) won their case.
Millions miss out on dental care
Waite said charges have pushed millions to “miss out on care”.
She accused the government of “constructing a hostile environment for patients, many of whom have complex needs”.
Dan Scorer is Mencap’s head of policy.
He said fines are huge sources of “stress” and cause a “vicious circle of bad dental health” for people with learning disabilities.
Investigation into penalties
The National Audit Office’s investigation will probe the penalties issued. It will also look at the outcomes of charge notices, the revenues generated and the cost of collection.
In addition, it will examine the system of exemptions and steps taken by the NHS Business Services Authority to streamline the system.
An NHS Business Services Authority spokesperson said fraud costs the health service millions and the money “could be better spent on patient care”.
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Published: 20 February 2019
