Last week, I took to the floor of Parliament to raise an issue close to my heart. Many of our loved ones will need the support provided by a Hospice, and yet they are being underfunded by local NHS bosses.
I first raised this matter with Devon’s NHS two years ago after it was raised with me at one of my regular surgeries. The facts here are quite startling, despite our ageing population, some of our hospices only get 18% of their funding from the NHS, compared to an average of 37% in England. Other hospice services, including Sidmouth Hospice at Home receive diddly squat from the NHS.
This is plainly unfair. After two years of letters and meetings with the NHS, I was fed up with being fobbed off with excuses.
With just a few hours to go until my debate in Parliament, my eyebrows were raised when a letter from the Chair of NHS Devon, Dr Sarah Wollaston, dropped into my inbox. The letter said NHS Devon are working on plans to move towards more equitable NHS funding in the next financial year. Finally, we have progress – but the funding must also support hospice services in Sidmouth, Seaton and Axminster.
With that commitment from the NHS secured, I’m now turning my efforts to another issue people have raised with me. I’m acutely aware of the challenges for local people trying to get an NHS dentist appointment in our part of Devon.
The government is listening and acting, with a new NHS Long Term Workforce Plan which includes a 40% rise in dental training places. We need more dentists, but we also need to make sure they get a fair deal for NHS patients.
I have taken action and raised my concerns in Parliament, as well as with NHS Devon, dentistry providers, and ministers.
My argument is clear. We need to reform the contract for NHS dentistry, so it works better for everyone and encourages more dentists to sign up NHS patients. You can support my campaign by signing my petition on the campaigns section of my website: Fix NHS Dentistry | Simon Jupp MP
This column first appeared in print in the Exmouth Journal on Wednesday 24th January 2024 and in the Sidmouth Herald later in the week.