Blackpool's dental crisis put in the spotlight during last days of Parliament

During one of the last days before Parliament is suspended ahead of the General Election, Blackpool South MP Chris Webb quizzed Health Secretary Victoria Atkins about the shortage of NHS dentists in the town.

Ms Atkins, who also has links to the resort having attended the former Arnold School, said her plans included sending dental vans out as a short-term measure.

Addressing the House of Commons, Mr Webb said: "Constituents have contacted me about the lack of NHS dentists in the town. No NHS dentist is taking on adult patients and children are forced to our local A&E with tooth decay.  This is a huge issue in our town with so many other troubling issues." 

Ms Atkins said it was coastal towns like Blackpool that were at the forefront of her concerns "when we looked at how we could help some of those dental deserts." 

This included getting dental vans into tender "so we can try to push out some of these services. They are not a permanent fix but they will help people in the short term while we are building up new practices through golden hellos and the such like." 

Blackpool mum Louise Palmer, of Tyldesley Road, recently spoke out about her shock at hearing her four-year-old son Yah-Wayne could have to wait up to two years for treatment for a painful gum abscess.  She was told this was because he would need to go under anaesthetic before having surgery to remove the abscess, which means having to wait for a hospital bed.

In January this year, former Blackpool South MP Scott Benton highlighted the case of a Blackpool mum who used pliers to remove her six-year-old daughter’s teeth due to the lack of dentists in the town.

Research based on NHS data has found of the 12 dental surgeries which have provided a recent update in Blackpool, all 12 are not currently accepting any new adult patients.

Mr Webb's question was among a number of issues he had raised during the 17 days since he was sworn into Parliament following a by-election on May 2, but he now faces another battle for the seat.

He was also able to make his maiden speech on the final day before Parliament is due to be suspended ahead of the July 4 polling day.

He said despite its problems Blackpool was a town "alive with grassroots creativity, culture and a wealth of fascinating lives that could only have been lived in Blackpool. And it’s one of community, resilience and of people with very little who are always willing to help someone who has less.”