Plans to slash £70 million from the health budget in Northern Ireland have been criticised as ‘reckless’ by the British Dental Association (BDA).

The association argues that the budget for General and Primary Dental Services in Northern Ireland has fallen in real terms year-on-year since 20ı2, while tooth decay remains the leading cause of hospital admissions among children in the province.

The BDA has long argued that Stormont needs to deliver a new oral health strategy, to replace its decade old plan. In the face of ever growing demand it has also called for appropriate investment in prevention among children and young people, with reformed contracts and coherent workforce planning to ensure the sustainability of the service.

Roslyn McMullan, chair of the BDA’s Northern Ireland Council, said: “When tooth extractions are
the leading cause of our children getting general anaesthetic cutting front line services smacks of recklessness. This service is already running on empty, and taking further resources out will only place greater strain on our GPs, hospitals and A&E units.

“Northern Ireland has the worst oral health inequalities in the UK, and the authorities need to stop seeking false economies. They cannot continue abdicating their responsibility to curb decay in young people, or to engage with the growing challenges of an ageing population.

“The morale of front line staff is at an all-time low. Government has failed to modernise the service, or offer contracts that are fit for purpose. It will need to show it is prepared to put patients first.”

Tags: BDA, BDA Northern Ireland, Roslyn McMullan