Candidates clash over NHS dentists in election debate

From left, Ross Pepper, Robert Watson, Jonathan Slater, Sean Matthews and Victoria Atkins

Five candidates vying for the Louth and Horncastle seat at the general election have clashed over the lack of NHS dentists.

Heath Secretary and Conservative candidate Victoria Atkins, Labour's Jonathan Slater, Green Party's Robert Watson, Reform UK's Sean Matthews and Liberal Democrat's Ross Pepper were up against one another.

They met at the Masons Arms in Louth for a public debate, broadcast by BBC Radio Lincolnshire.

All five parties pledged to increase NHS dental appointments and investments for improving dentistry in Lincolnshire.

Liberal Democrat's Ross Pepper said his party would "reform the dental contract"

In a charged debate, the candidates said the state of dentistry in the area was dire.

Mr Pepper, the Liberal Democrat candidate, said the party would reform the contract agreeing deals with NHS Dentists.

"We need access to more dentists," he said.

"I think Lincolnshire is probably one of the worst areas in the country for access and we have pledged to make sure that everyone has access to emergency dental care.

"We need to make sure that there is reform of the dental contract to make sure we can bring practises into the NHS."

Sean Matthews, for Reform UK, says he would offer incentives to use private healthcare

Reform UK's Mr Matthews described his "lived experience" of taking his children from Horncastle to Louth to see a dentist who themselves had to "travel up from Leicester every week".

"It's just not acceptable to have people having to travel all over this community to get to see NHS dentists," he said.

Mr Matthews added that his party would offer incentives to use private healthcare.

He said: "We need to encourage more dentists into this region.

"We need to bring private health into it where we can and encourage private health for people if they can afford it and we will do that by giving a 20% discount for people to use private health."

Green Party's Robert Watson says his party would invest an extra £50bn into the NHS

Green's Mr Watson vowed to "rescue the NHS" by pumping billions into the system.

He described how elderly customers visiting his shop were constantly waiting for appointments and procedures.

"The Green Party is pledging to spend an extra £50bn on the NHS by 2030. We're going to fund this by taxing those with the broadest shoulders an extra 1% on all those with a wealth assessed at more than £10m," he said.

Mr Watson said there would be an additional annual investment of £3bn by 2030 for dentistry.

He said: "We want primary care providers to provide free dental nursing in schools and for children and also for low income families."

Conservative candidate Victoria Atkins said there would be investment to encourage more NHS dentists to work in rural and coastal areas

The Conservatives' Ms Atkins defended her plan to increase the number of dental appointments by more than two million.

She said: "We all know the toll that the pandemic took on dentistry - it took a toll on the whole of NHS but particular dentistry - and it has taken time for the profession to get back to where we want it to be."

She said there would be investment to encourage more NHS dentists to work in rural and coastal areas.

"We have said that they will serve the most underserved areas including Lincolnshire," she added.

Labour's Jonathan Slater said he was enthused by his party's pledge to reduce tax avoidance to pay for the NHS

Labour's Mr Slater said his party would close non-Dom tax loopholes to "pay for 700,000 more dentist appointments each year".

"I think that's going to be a game changer for people who we're seeing can't get access, not just a NHS dentist but even a private dentist, which a lot of people can't afford," he said.

All five candidates went head-to-head discussing other issues posed by the public including flood defence schemes, housing, energy and cost of living, which can be heard here.

The full list of candidates standing for the seat are:

Paul Hugill - Independent

Robert Watson - Green

Marcus Moorehouse - Social Democratic Party

Victoria Atkins - Conservative

Sean Matthews - Reform UK

Jonathan Slater - Labour

Iconic Arty-Pole - Monster Raving Loony Party

Ross Pepper - Liberal Democrat

Information about the 4 July general election and how to vote can be found here.

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