Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour) on Tuesday, 24 March 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 9 April 2026. It was answered by Baroness Merron (Labour) on Tuesday, 7 April 2026 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Dental Services: North of England

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps have been taken by NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board to address shortages in access to NHS dentistry, and to increase the number of NHS dental practices in the region.

Answer

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population. The North East and North Cumbria ICB has implemented measures to improve access to dental services as part of the ICB’s Oral Health and Dental Strategy for 2025/27. Further information can be found on the NHS.UK website, in an online format.

The Government is committed to ensuring that people can access urgent dental care when they need it. Over the past year, ICBs have been commissioning additional urgent dental appointments and there is now an urgent care safety net available in all areas of the country. 1.8 million additional courses of NHS dental treatment have been delivered in the seven months between April to October 2025 compared to the corresponding months prior to the general election.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL15907
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Dental services Cumbria North East
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk