4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the availability of NHS dentistry in Arfon? OQ60946

Yes. This Government is committed to increasing new patient access as part of dental reform and, since April 2022, over 320,000 new patients have gained access to an NHS dentist across Wales, including nearly 62,000 new patients in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area.

There is no dental practice in Arfon that is receiving new NHS patients, and it appears that they've also had to close their waiting lists. Many of my constituents are unable to access the public dental service, which is an entirely unacceptable situation. A dental academy was opened in Bangor at the end of 2022, with a promise by the health board that this would be the first step to tackle the lack of NHS dentists across north Wales. The academy has been promoted several times by Ministers in the same terms. I understand that the academy has closed its books to NHS patients. They're not accepting NHS patients to be seen, nor are they accepting them on waiting lists either. But they do welcome private patients. Will you intervene as a matter of urgency to ensure that the scheme for the dental academy is delivered in full?

My understanding is that the ground floor is now fully operational, with just over 3,000 patients seen since it opened in September 2002. It is still intended that the second floor of the new dental academy will be operational for a community dental service, and that will again take in, obviously, NHS patients. I'm not aware of the individual specifics of the plan for when that should be operational. We do understand that there has been a delay. I'll liaise with the Cabinet Secretary for health to ensure that there is a factual briefing about the current position, but also, from the Member's point, I think it's entirely fair and reasonable for her to expect an update on what can be expected in the future for the provision of NHS dentistry and the capacity we recognise is required, which is why we've actually engaged in looking to create the dental academy in Bangor in the first place. I'm more than happy to make sure the Member gets a proper briefing and update on the future.

Siân Gwenllian's absolutely right to raise this, because far too many people in Arfon and across north Wales sadly do not have access to an NHS dentist, an issue that Members in the Chamber have been raising for a long time, an issue that I personally raised with the health Minister more than 12 months ago, and we were told then that this was being sorted. And we've heard just last month from the chairman of the Welsh general dental practice committee, and I quote, that more people might be forced to pull out their own teeth because of the lack of proper access. So, clearly, something isn't working, First Minister. So, what do you say today to people in Arfon and across Wales who are facing the decision of DIY dentistry?

We're committed to reforming not just the NHS dental contract, but the reason why contract reform matters is because it will unlock new capacity for NHS dentistry. That's why we're investing in that difficult process. But it's actually delivering more capacity within our NHS. And within that, we need to both make sure we have the conversation with the profession and with the public about where we understand there are still gaps, and, where people do return their NHS contracts, to make sure that there is NHS provision that remains available. This is one of the top priorities for the Cabinet Secretary for health. She has proactively made that clear, that she's interested in the future of reform and access to NHS dentistry. It'll carry on being the case that we'll look for opportunities to invest and to make sure we do provide the sort of NHS provision that communities rightly expect.

First Minister, we have heard a lot about problems in accessing dentistry, especially in north Wales, from professional bodies and also constituents, following the pandemic. I understand that there are some promising pilot projects to bring mobile dentistry to schools in north Wales, which is really important for our children. Will this be available more widely?

Yes. I am pleased that Carolyn Thomas has referred to the initial stage of the pilot. There is a dental therapist mobile dental facility that is currently co-located at Ysgol y Moelwyn in Blaenau Ffestiniog, and they carry out assessments for 11 and 12-year-old pupils. Those are clinically effective and evidence based. That's one of the things that we're looking to import into the contract to make sure there's a clear evidence base about how dental activity is run and performed. The first stage of that programme is being evaluated and the initial results look positive, so there is a plan to make sure that the mobile unit can move on to more school provision, and the next school should be in the Bala area, with three more schools across north Wales identified. I'm sure the Cabinet Secretary for health would be more than happy to make sure the Member is updated on their progress.