Dentists to 'shrink NHS element' to 'keep the lights on'

Dentists will have to reduce the NHS elements of their practice due to the hike in National Insurance contributions (NICs) this month, the Chair of the Northern Ireland Dental ​Practice Committee has warned.

Dr Ciara Gallagher said patients "will end up doing without, healthcare inequalities will widen, and patients will suffer" as a result.

Employers currently pay a rate of 13.8% on employees' earnings above a threshold of £9,100 a year.

In the Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said this rate would increase to 15% in April 2025, and the threshold would be reduced to £5,000.

'Patients will suffer'

Figures from 2022 revealed that 90% of dental practices in Northern Ireland were not accepting new adult patients and 88% were not accepting child patients.

Dr Gallagher said that the "primary reason" for this is the cost of delivering care surpasses funding provided by the health department.

"We're now adding another cost to that, and that is going to make practices unviable," she told BBC's Sunday Politics programme.

"The difficulty that dentists are going to face is they will have to shrink the NHS element of their practices if they are to keep the lights on, and they will have to increase the private element.

"And that is going to be patients having to do without care, so the effect in dentistry is going to be rapid, and it is going to be even more difficult for patients to access NHS dental care," Dr Gallagher said.

"And we know the vast majority of people aren't in a position to pay for private care, and therefore they will end up doing without and healthcare inequalities will widen and patients will suffer."

Dr Ciara Gallagher said patients "will end up doing without" because they cannot afford to pay for dental care

In 2024 it was announced that more than £9m was to be invested in dental services in Northern Ireland.

The funding was aimed at bolstering support for dental practices and protecting public access to health service dental care.

The health minister also confirmed a 6% pay uplift for dentists for the current financial year.

The British Dental Association said the money "falls well short of what's needed" and urged further reform.

Dr Gallagher told the programme that she has colleagues who work in areas of very high need and have to make the decision of whether or not to close due to financial constraints.

"At this point in time [they] have said, 'I may as well close the doors and go and work somewhere else'.

"And in this particular practice, it's 6000 patients who will end up without care.

"So there is a very real risk that practices in high-need areas are going to close."