WIRRAL residents say they are facing enormous difficulty accessing an NHS dentist with many forced to suffer in pain or fork out for expensive private treatment.

The availability of NHS dentists is a nationwide issue but people in Wirral claim there is a stark lack of accessible dental care in the borough with NHS waiting lists soaring as high as three years.

The NHS dentist finder reveals there are 47 NHS dentists in Wirral and, according to the finder, none appear to be taking on new patients – unless via an urgent referral.

We asked Globe readers about their experiences with trying to get a dentist appointment in Wirral following recent statistics suggesting 11m people in the UK are struggling to get NHS dentist appointments.

Susan Dillon is one such patient who has been desperately searching for a dentist in Wirral for the past few months and has resorted to asking her GP for antibiotics as a result.

Despite the severe pain she is experiencing she is still unable to get an emergency appointment with an NHS dentist.

She said: “I have got an abscess that is so painful, and I can't get a dentist. I have had to ask my GP for antibiotics and have been taking strong painkillers for a week now.

“I’ve been trying to get a dentist for months now and I can’t even get an emergency appointment with an NHS dentist.

“I think I'm going to have to find money and go private to get the tooth extracted. It's ridiculous and cruel if people are in absolute pain and throwing painkillers down their throats. I feel sorry for people who just have no way of getting the money for emergency treatment.

“It's absolutely shocking and disgraceful in this day and age. It’s a really sad state of affairs.”

Another local resident described the chances of getting a dentist appointment in the area as “non-existent”.

Louise Reecejones said: “Getting a dentist is nonexistent and the emergency dentist will only put in temporary fillings that don’t last. It’s beyond a joke now and something needs sorting across Merseyside.”

While Christina Lally added that she would rather “all her teeth fall out than go to any dentist”.

Meanwhile Keith White said his daughter has tried to get an appointment with a local dentist for more than two years and said the nearest dentist she could be seen by was 55 miles away in Macclesfield.

He told the Globe: “My daughter can't get a dentist anywhere she has tried for over two years. The emergency dentist she could have was in Macclesfield.

“Her, her boyfriend, and two kids don’t have a dentist.  She needs one urgently but can’t get one unless she’s willing to travel miles for a temporary fix. It’s just pathetic.”

Findings by Healthwatch Wirral revealed the public’s frustration at being able to secure an NHS dentist but also members of the public said there was a lack of access to GP services too.

READ: Wirral's dentist and GP services now at ‘tipping point’

The organisation seeks to “give all local people a powerful voice” when it comes to addressing issues in the NHS.

Patients complained of dentist appointments being cancelled, long waiting times or not being able to get a dentist at all.  For GPs, patients “felt dismissed” and “didn’t get any help.”

The report added: “We continue to receive multiple calls from those who cannot access a dentist, including difficulties accessing emergency dentistry” adding that “the main theme around GP access this quarter continues to be long waiting times on the phone or being unable to contact a GP at all.”

Have you struggled to get a dentist appointment? Is your health suffering as a result? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below.

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