Parents are increasingly taking their children to private dentists due to difficulty accessing appointments, revealed the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in its annual report.

The CQC’s ‘State of Care’ report comprehensively examines England's health and social care quality. It investigates access, quality of care and the impact on people who use health and care services.

According to the report, many children and young people are not getting the support they need. Children who do not receive the care they need today are at increased risk of becoming adults with long-term mental or physical illnesses, which could affect their quality of life and their ability to contribute to society.

Dental access

The report warned about the movement to a two-tier healthcare system – where those who can afford to pay for treatment do so and those who can’t face longer waits and reduced access.

This remains a concern, starkly illustrated in dental care.

The CQC conducted a dental access survey of 1,000 people earlier in 2024, which found that people relied more on private care, where NHS activity is lowest, and that access issues had a clear impact on children and young people.

Parents said they felt pressured to go private and found it difficult to get appointments, even in emergencies, and that children were left in pain while waiting for an emergency appointment.

The report noted that the tooth extraction rate related to decay is nearly three and a half times higher for children and young people in the most deprived communities compared with the most affluent.

A call for change

The CQC has said a greater focus on children and young people’s services at a national and local level is needed.

It said consistent funding is needed to target areas of early intervention, better understanding by systems of the gaps in the provision of care and treatment for their population to ensure that local areas can meet the needs of their children, improved management of demand and communication with children and their families.

Ian Dilks, chair of CQC, said, “This year’s ‘State of Care’ describes issues with access to and quality of care and the impact on people who use health and care services - with particular focus on the many children and young people who are not getting the care they need when they need it.

“While some children are receiving timely, appropriate care, we know that there are more who don’t, with potential long-term repercussions for their mental and physical health. Action now – targeted funding for early intervention, better understanding of local need and improved management of demand, and genuine two-way communication with children and families – will help to ensure a healthier population tomorrow.”

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