MP shines light on 'car crash' health system

Charlie Dewhirst described Bridlington as a "fantastic coastal resort" but said it faced stark inequalities

An East Yorkshire MP has raised a seaside town's "car crash" healthcare systems in Parliament.

Addressing the House of Commons on Wednesday, Charlie Dewhirst, Conservative MP for Bridlington and The Wolds, detailed the “not acceptable” state of the town’s healthcare services.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Dewhirst told an adjournment debate the town had “significant challenges”, including stark inequalities and a lack of NHS dentists.

Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock told the MP he was “absolutely right" to raise the issues, adding the government was "committed to fixing our broken health and care system”.

Stephen Kinnock said ageing populations and a lack of facilities were some of the healthcare challenges facing seaside towns

Dewhirst said the town has the oldest and most deprived population in the East Riding of Yorkshire, pointing out men living in the Bridlington South ward have a life expectancy 10 years lower than those living elsewhere in the county.

He added: “As for the supply of health services, the House will no doubt be shocked to hear that there are entire classrooms of children in Bridlington who have never seen a dentist."

Dewhirst said one patient needing emergency dental work was sent more than 60 miles (97km) to Doncaster for treatment.

In January, there were 8,500 people on the waiting list for the only local NHS dentist, he said.

Calling on the Department of Health and Social care to focus “on tackling the enormous health inequalities in seaside towns such as Bridlington”, he referred to one council boss who had told him: “The health crisis in Bridlington is not a car crash waiting to happen, it is happening right now.”

'Disgrace'

Kinnock directly responded to the Bridlington MP’s concerns about the lack of NHS dentists.

He said: “I share his concern about dentistry access. The single biggest cause of children aged between five and nine being admitted to hospital is to have their rotten teeth taken out, which is frankly a disgrace.”

The minister went on to describe children’s dental issues as “soul-destroying”, saying “it can so easily be prevented”.

Kinnock reaffirmed the government’s plan to recruit more than 1,000 newly qualified GPs in a bid to guarantee face-to-face appointments for all those who want one.

The minister also mentioned a new appointment booking system built to avoid the “8am scramble.”

Both Dewhirst and Kinnock spoke of the unique healthcare challenges coastal towns face.

But despite describing the “toxic combination” of an aging population and a lack of facilities in many coastal towns, Kinnock asserted the government’s promise to “deliver for people in Bridlington and across Yorkshire”.

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