A new report is calling for an ‘Armed Forces style’ campaign in a bid to recruit more healthcare workers.
Neil Carmichael – chair of the Association of Dental Groups (ADG) – declared his support for recommendations made in a newly-published report.
It calls for a well-funded ‘Armed Forces’ style recruitment campaign to encourage people to opt for healthcare careers – dentistry included.
North-south divide
It also urges the government to invest in healthcare further to reduce the nation’s regional health disparities.
Last month, a report from Public Health England (PHE) revealed significant regional differences in oral health, highlighting a concerning north-south divide.
The ADG has also called for a growth in the number of training places for dentists in the UK. As well as better incentives for NHS teams to move to areas with access troubles. This includes Portsmouth, Cornwall, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire coastlines.
Data also reveals alarming rates of tooth decay. For example, Middlesbrough is home to the highest rates, with more than 38,000 fillings carried out on adults last year.
Also ranking in the top five areas with the highest rates of decay are:
- South Tyneside
- Barnsley
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Doncaster.
Level up
Neil said: ‘The government has recognised the need to recruit more doctors and nurses, but we need more than this.
‘As the NHS integrates care systems a long term workforce plan for the whole healthcare workforce is required; this report makes a strong case for a recruitment strategy.
‘NHS dentistry provision is suffering from acute recruitment problems in many areas of the country the government wishes to level up. Good health enables an individual to participate fully in society and must be a part of levelling up the UK.
‘A national recruitment drive for the whole sector highlighting the opportunities in many parts of the country for those who want to make a difference is part of delivering this.’
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