AN URGENT meeting will be held to discuss the problems with NHS dentistry services in Andover, following talks between the town’s MP and the health minister.

Kit Malthouse has raised the issues of NHS dentists in Andover with Health Minister Neil O’Brien, emphasising the significant difficulties faced by residents.

Following the discussion, Mr O’Brien has agreed to an urgent roundtable with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board, which is responsible for health services in the area.

Mr Malthouse said: "Lots of people have been contacting me about the lack of local NHS dentists. During my recent meeting with the health minister, I conveyed the severe and painful dental issues some residents have experienced, and stressed the long-term problems that will arise in the absence of early years and childhood dentistry.

“The minister gets the problem and is arranging for us to meet the local integrated care board in a roundtable to discuss their strategy for our town. I will be keen to see what urgent remedial action they are planning to address this. 

“We are seeing massive health investment in our area, be it the brand new, up and running, multi-million-pound GP health centre at Andover War Memorial Hospital, the £6.5m diagnostic hub (construction is well underway), or the new general hospital confirmed in Basingstoke. Now we must fix our local NHS dentistry, and I’ll keep up the pressure to make sure Andover gets the services it needs.”

A spokesperson from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board said: “The Integrated Care Board has recently taken on commissioning for pharmacy, optometry and dental services and is aware of the national and local pressures with regard to dentistry.

“The team is working hard to look at opportunities to improve access and we look forward to working with Kit Malthouse MP and Neil O’Brien, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care to identify potential solutions together on Thursday 28 September.”