Rishi Sunak says getting an NHS dentist is too difficult

Rishi Sunak said discharge hubs and improving connections between hospitals and social care had helped cut ambulance waiting times

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has admitted it is "too difficult" to get access to an NHS dentist.

Mr Sunak told BBC South West the government had a "significant plan" to ease the shortage of places.

He said: "I wanted to come to the South West because I know it's been a challenge here."

It follows a visit earlier to a Newquay dental practice, Gentle Dental, which is not accepting new adult NHS patients.

"It's been too difficult to get access to an NHS dentist and that's what our plan is going to fix," Mr Sunak said.

Under ministers' £200m NHS dentistry plans unveiled this week, dentists will be offered cash to accept new patients and given £20,000 "golden hellos" to work in under-served communities.

The prime minister met staff and patients at Newquay practice Gentle Dental which is not taking on new adult patients

Mobile dental teams will also be deployed to schools in under-served areas to give 165,000 children preventative fluoride varnish treatments to strengthen their teeth and prevent decay.

"So all of that when you put it all together, I think it's a significant plan," said Mr Sunak. "It will make a difference starting very soon."

He was also asked about waiting times for ambulances after hearing an elderly lady who fell in a Plymouth park on Wednesday had to wait seven hours for an ambulance.

Rishi Sunak said there was more to do in bringing down ambulance waiting times

He said the government was trying to "join up hospitals and social care better", and discharge hubs in hospitals were "making a difference".

"Of course we have a lot more to do but we are making progress," he said.

"If you look at A&E performance or ambulance waiting times this winter, compared to last winter when I just became prime minister, they are getting better."

Rishi Sunak said he cared about funding for children with special educational needs and disabilities

Mr Sunak also said funding for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) was something "I do care about", after protesters including parents gathered earlier at Devon County Council's headquarters in Exeter.

"This is something that, you know, I care, I've cared about for a long time, I managed to help change the laws and get more funding into changing places which are larger disabled toilets for children with complex disabilities, which we now have many more of across the country," he said.

"I understand completely how parents feel," he said, adding that the government had announced £600m of extra funding for local authorities.

"What every parent wants is the best for their children and education is at the heart of that," he said.

"Actually, part of the reason I got into politics was because I care so much about education, because I think that's the most important thing a government can provide."