Joyce welcomes extra dental services for South Pembrokeshire

Joyce welcomes extra dental services for South Pembrokeshire
Assembly member Joyce Watson has welcomed news that there will be more NHS dental services in south Pembrokeshire from this winter.
Hywel Dda health board informed Mrs Watson of the additional services after she raised constituents’ complaints about provision.
In a letter to the Labour AM Hywel Dda confirmed that the south of the county “has the lowest amount of contracted dental activity in the whole Health Board area.”
The letter continues:
“There are currently 51 Dental Practices with Hywel Dda…In the South Pembrokeshire locality there are currently 3 General Dental Services providers, located in Pembroke, Pembroke Dock and Narberth.”
“I am pleased to advise, the Health Board has commenced a Commissioning / Tender process, to seek GDS providers in South Pembrokeshire. This will result in an additional £340,000 investment in into GDS in South Pembrokeshire.
“It is our expectation the new services will commence in Dec 15 or Jan 16 either from new NHS Practices, or by way of additional activity in current NHS Practices.”
Joyce Watson AM commented:
“The health board has recognised that there aren’t enough NHS dental services in the area; but from the end of this year or the beginning of next year there will be more money for more services, which is very good news for patients.
“I look forward to learning where and when the new services will be available.”
Ends
Notes for editors
Extract of letter from Hywel Dda University Health Board to Joyce Watson AM:
Please find below information on the commissioning framework, the current provision and the Health Board’s future plans for the South Pembrokeshire locality which has the lowest amount of contracted dental activity in the whole Health Board area.
Routine Dental Care is commissioned by way of Units of Dental Activity (UDA), that sits within the General Dental Services contracts.
There are currently 51 Dental Practices within Hywel Dda and they deliver 516,306 units of dental activity.
In the South Pembrokeshire locality there are currently 3 GDS providers, located in Pembroke, Pembroke Dock (4000 UDAs) & Narberth.
As detailed in Table 1, the current provision of activity is significantly disproportionate to that in other areas of the Health Board.
Table 1 – UDA Distribution and ratio of UDA per Head of Population across Hywel Dda

I am please to advise, the Health Board has commenced a Commissioning / Tender process, to seek GDS providers in South Pembrokeshire. This will result in an additional £340,000 investment in into GDS in South Pembrokeshire.
It is our expectation the new services will commence in Dec 15 or Jan16 either from new NHS Practices, or by way of additional activity in current NHS Practices.
The commissioning process will provide the Health Board with options on the location of new services, associated levels of value for money and patient accessibility, which will be considered during the awarding of the tender.