NHS patients 'asked to pay for private care'

Some NHS dental patients have been asked to pay for private care "if they want any treatment", according to a watchdog. Others are facing waits of up to two years for an NHS appointment, Healthwatch England has warned.

One patient was in so much pain he decided to extract his own teeth, said its chairman Sir Robert Francis QC.

The NHS said over 650 urgent dental hubs have been set up so patients can access a dentist.

Hundreds of people contacted Healthwatch England between October and December last year complaining about dentistry issues.

A briefing document from the watchdog said that "a lack of NHS dentist appointments" remains the most common issue - with people asked to wait for up to two years.

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Source: BBC News, 8 February 2021