Politics

Kings’ speech 2023: 21 bills for legislative reform announced

On November 7, 2023, King Charles III delivered his first address as monarch at the opening of Parliament. The king laid out the government’s legislative agenda for the next session.

MP says the NHS dental crisis is a ‘national scandal’

Simon Lightwood, MP for Wakefield, has renewed his calls to the government to tackle the crisis in dentistry.

Somerset is the worst dental desert in the country, says local resident

At Somerset Council’s Adults and Health Scrutiny Committee meeting on October 5, 2023, the community pleaded for action to address the area’s shortage of NHS dentists.

Oral health inequalities widening in Scotland, warns association

The British Dental Association (BDA) has warned that decades of progress on children’s dental health risks going into reverse following the release of a public health report.

Access crisis in dentistry is ‘piling pressure’ across NHS, says association

The British Dental Association (BDA) has said figures from the Labour Party on the nearly 70,000 patients who sought dental care in emergency departments in 2022 are just the tip of the iceberg and...

Health minister questioned by MPs on the dental access crisis

In the House of Commons, Steve Barclay, the health secretary, has faced questions from multiple ministers concerning the future of NHS dentistry provisions.

County council announces support to make a generation of non-smokers a reality

Hampshire County Council has welcomed the Government’s recent announcement to create a ‘smokefree generation’ by 2040.

Vapes should be prescription only, says Welsh first minister

In a statement to the Senedd, Mark Drakeford, Wales’s first minister, said he was “attracted” to the Australian policy of restricting vape sales to pharmacies.

Northern Ireland to participate in smoking consultation

To help inform future decision-making on tobacco policy and legislation, Northern Ireland’s Department of Health has agreed that it will be included in the public consultation launched on October 12,...

Dental school a ‘natural step for city’ says minister

According to Bangor’s representative in the Welsh Parliament, the establishment of a dentistry school in Bangor is the next natural step for the city.

Tackling youth vaping: government sets out next steps to create ‘smokefree generation’

The government has launched a public consultation on youth vaping as part of measures to clamp down on vapes being promoted to children.

Association says dentistry needs reforms and investment

The British Dental Association (BDA) has said the success of reform in NHS dentistry will hinge on appropriate funding. It follows comments by shadow health secretary Wes Streeting that across the...