Dental delays under scrutiny

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney has been accused of losing sight of difficulties facing patients amid claims medical card holders are experiencing frustrating delays for dental treatment.

Up to 30,000 dental patients have been affected after one in seven dentists left the medical card fees scheme with the Health Service Executive, said the Irish Dental Association (IDA).

Talks collapsed more than 18 months ago between dentists and health chiefs.

Some 190 dentists have since abandoned the medical card scheme, leaving vulnerable patients no option but to search out alternative practices that accept card holders, claim the IDA.

Health chiefs yesterday denied claims patients were facing huge delays.

It was also reported an additional 70 dentists had signed up to medical card schemes since fee talks had collapsed, lessening the overall amount outside the scheme.

But the IDA said the health service and specifically Ms Harney’s refusal to recognise the crisis meant they were out of touch with patients’ needs.

“If one in seven dentists sits down and takes an unprecedented decision to resign from the medical card scheme and if people don’t recognise that as a problem, then I think they’ve lost sight of the difficulties that are facing patients,” said IDA chief Fintan Hourihan.

Speaking to RTÉ, he claimed the HSE had caused a two-year vacuum by refusing to engage in talks.

Mr Hourihan said dentists wanted to get around the table and discuss fees, possible reforms of the medical card system and the need for investments in facilities for dentists and patients.

In a statement, the HSE said it was satisfied there were sufficient dentists operating the scheme. Additional numbers had signed up since talks collapsed but this number was not available.

The HSE was precluded from continuing talks with dentists over fees because it contravened competition laws.

The statement added: “The HSE has not been alerted to delays currently being encountered by GMS patients (medical card holders) as suggested today by the Irish Dental Association.”

Ms Harney’s department said officials were trying to work with the Attorney General in finding a way forward in negotiations.