James Sunderland met with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Victoria Atkins MP, to discuss the Government’s progress in improving access to NHS dentistry and GP services across the UK.

The Government will soon be publishing its Dentistry Recovery Plan. This will focus on incentivising NHS dentists to provide better care and improve access for new patients. Whilst there is more to do, an additional 6 million courses of NHS dental treatments were delivered in 2022/3 than in the previous year, with 1.7 million more people seeing a dentist. NHS Dentistry was effectively privatised after 1990, but the new reforms are working and those having difficulty in accessing a NHS dentist in Bracknell should contact my office.

But that's not all. The Government remains fully committed to supporting the NHS to deliver high-quality healthcare for people right across the UK, including GP services. With record funding for the NHS, we have more doctors and nurses in work than ever before and access to GPs should continue to expand locally.

James said:

“Following my lobbying of the Department for Health and Social Care, residents of Bracknell Forest will soon benefit from the brand new Frimley Park Hospital, which will be delivered by 2030 as part of the New Hospital Programme. The exact location is yet to be determined but I took the opportunity to provide the Secretary of State with an update, notably on its likely size, facilities, timeline and improved healthcare, such as state-of-the-art treatment and single rooms instead of wards.

“Lastly, with Bracknell proudly hosting the HQ of the DEBRA UK Charity, I continue to advocate for drug re-purposing for #epidermolysisbullosa (EB). Clear evidence exists that licensed drugs, which already exist for other conditions such as Psoriasis, can alleviate the symptoms of this grim disease. I'm pushing for a fast-track system and appropriate funding, which will benefit countless individuals suffering from multiple illnesses.”