MONMOUTH MP David Davies has revealed patients in Wales are more than twice as likely to be waiting over 18 weeks for dental surgery compared to England.
The figures produced by Mr Davies show 28.7 per cent of people with a referral for oral surgery in Wales had been waiting for over 18 weeks as at March 2012 compared with 13.1 per cent in England.
Mr Davies requested comparable data from the House of Commons Library, which offers an entirely impartial research service, after waiting times were highlighted by a constituent in Chepstow.
“The lady concerned has an impacted wisdom tooth and was in a considerable amount of pain,” he said.
“Despite urgent referrals to the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport by both her GP and dentist, she faced a five month wait for an appointment. By this time, her face was swollen and the tooth had become infected with an abscess. She therefore felt she had no option but to pay to be treated privately.
“During the private treatment, it turned out the abscess was not on the wisdom tooth. It was on the tooth next to it which had to be removed.
“In the meantime, this lady is still awaiting an appointment to discuss her wisdom tooth with a consultant at the Royal Gwent Hospital.”
Mr Davies said when the Welsh Assembly was set up, promises were made that the NHS in Wales would be safeguarded.
But he added: “Instead, the Welsh Government has cut funding and service levels have plummeted.
“These latest figures are very plain for all to see and are yet another example of the Welsh Government failing to deliver the health service we deserve.
“It’s a disgrace that patients in Wales have to wait twice as long as patients in England for dental surgery and I will be writing to the Health Minister to demand an urgent explanation”.
Sources - DoH Referral to Treatment Waiting Time Statistics
StatsWales Referral to Treatment Times