Hundreds back local Lib Dem NHS dentists campaign

9.28.00pm GMT Sun 21st Feb 2010

Hundreds of residents signed the local Lib Dem petition for more NHS dentists and better dental care

Hundreds of local residents have signed a petition supporting the Plymouth Liberal Democrats' campaign for more NHS dentists and more affordable dental care in the city.

The campaign, led by prospective Liberal Democrat MPs Dr Judy Evans and Stuart Bonar, follows Plymouth being named "a leading NHS dentistry blackspot" by a national newspaper. A survey reported in the paper found that Plymouth topped a poll of cities where residents struggle to find an NHS dentist.

At an event held in the city centre, more than 250 local people signed up to support the Lib Dem campaign and over 1,000 leaflets were handed out to passers-by.

Speaking after the event, Dr Judy Evans, the party's prospective parliamentary candidate for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said, "Finding an NHS dentist for your family shouldn't be like pulling teeth. Yet too many Plymouth residents are unable to see an NHS dentist when they need to. Moreover, with the rising cost of dental care, many are worried about how they will pay for the dental treatment that they desperately need.

"The success of today's event shows that local residents are overwhelmingly behind the Liberal Democrats' campaign to bring more NHS dentists and affordable dental treatment to Plymouth.

"As a doctor and a mother, I know that nothing is more important than keeping the ones we love healthy. That is why I continue to fight to ensure that Plymouth gets the dental services that it deserves."

The Lib Dems' prospective parliamentary candidate in Plymouth Moor View, Stuart Bonar, added, "The Liberal Democrats will ensure there is an NHS dentist available to everyone who needs one. We will do this by making sure that dentists who are trained by the NHS work in the NHS for a minimum of five years.

"The Lib Dems will also reform dentists' contracts so they're paid to take on more NHS patients, not just getting money for the number of treatments they provide. We'll prioritise areas where dental services are worst, by providing increased payments to dentists who operate in the areas of greatest need."

The petition can be signed online at http://drjudy4plymouth.org.uk/petitions/