NHSEI West Midlands: Understanding patients experiences and concerns around access to NHS dental services

We shared feedback that we collected between April and July 2020 through our covid-19 survey and rolling gathering of feedback.

Key issues raised in the feedback shared include:

• Lack of information about accessing dental services with most service users seeing their service closed.
• Accessibility of information about services for people with sight loss, learning disability or language barriers.
• Information and advice about self-care and the safety of services.
• Quality of services and fees.
• Problems with registering as NHS patients and lack of clarity around NHS and private treatment.
• Long waiting times for treatment
• Lack of clarity on referral pathways and waiting times
• Appropriate use of guidelines such as removing patients from practice lists and around safety.