It has been revealed that people in South Cumbria are waiting 15 months to see a dentist for treatment.
There are currently 1,100 patients on a waiting list for treatment by the Morecambe Bay NHS Hospitals Trust, with some waiting over 65 weeks.
Around 70 people are still waiting for triage.
Figures from the NHS also show that almost 60% of adults in South Cumbria and Lancashire haven’t seen an NHS dentist in the past two years and 45% of children in the area haven’t been seen a dentist in the last 12 months.
Westmorland & Lonsdale MP Tim Farron has written to the trust to call for action.
In a letter to trust chief executive Aarom Cummins, Mr Farron said: “A 65-week wait time is jaw dropping and l wonder how that compares with other trusts?
“The fact that there will be children and young teens on there who are waiting well over a year and then getting very irregular appointments thereafter to complete a course of treatment that often lasts a couple of years is dire, as they may miss the boat and end up carrying problems into their adult life.
“I wonder what assistance you need from me, as l am keen to see some much needed progress and increased capacity coming on stream so that those who enter the orthodontic system have some confidence of continuity of care and reliability that their treatment plan will be adhered to and not elongated due to missed appointments and lack of staffing to deliver that care.”
