Ipsos MORI have published the dental question results from Q4 2009/10 (January to March) GP Patient Survey, which they are carrying out on behalf of the Department of Health. The Department of Health has analysed these results and have published dental access statistics based on the findings.
Headline figures of the Department of Health GP Patient Survey Dental Statistics:
• 147,600 completed dental question forms were received, of 400,000 that were disturbed (response rate of 37%). Results are available at National (England), Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and Primary Care Trust (PCT) level;
• 59% of respondents tried to obtain an appointment with an NHS dentist in the 2 year period before March 2010.
• 92% of respondents who tried to obtain an appointment within the past 2 years were successful. 8% were unsuccessful. These percentages exclude those who didn't remember the outcome.
• Respondents who have tried more recently are more successful. 95% of respondents trying within the past three or six months were successful.
• For 78% of adults the last appointment sought was for routine dentistry; 18% were seeking an urgent appointment and 2% didn’t remember the type of appointment.
• 81% of the most recent appointments sought were with the dental practice previously attended. In these cases the successful percentage was 95%.
• North East SHA had the largest percentage of the adult population seeking an NHS dental appointment in the last 2 years, at 66%, whilst South Central SHA had the smallest, where 52% sought an NHS appointment.
• Success in getting an appointment North East SHA had the largest percentage, with 95%, compared to South Central SHA with the smallest (90%).
Adults who have not tried to get an NHS appointment in the last 2 years:
• 41% of respondents did not try to get an appointment with an NHS dentist in the last 2 years.
• The most frequent reason for not trying for an NHS dental appointment in the previous 2 years was 'I stayed with my dentist when they moved from NHS to private' which was mentioned by 21% of adults. The next reason 'I didn’t think I could get an NHS dental appointment' was 18% of responses.
Full Department of Health analysis is available here: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsStatistics/DH_116964
GP Patient Survey dental results is available here: http://www.gp-patient.co.uk/results/
