As part of a plan to get local authorities involved in improving public health, the government has announced that they will be allocating extra funding to councils across the country. Along with encouraging breast-feeding and tackling obesity, the government is hoping to combat tooth decay in children, and they are investing over £2billion in the idea.
Under a ‘health premium’ incentive scheme, local councils can benefit if they take an active role in the community and they could even receive a bonus if they out-perform their rivals. Primary care trust NHS Cumbria has secured £1.5million from the Department of health, to give children access to advice and treatment. They are also hoping to extent the patient lists of NHS dentists in the Cumbria area, and to offer places to those who have been waiting for treatment for some time.
According to a survey carried out by the Evening Mail, children in Cumbria have the highest rates of tooth decay in the country, with the average twelve-year-old already having 1.6 fillings – twice the national number for children in that age group.
Consultant for NHS Cumbria, Eric Rooney said ‘It’s great news that we’ve been successful in bidding for this money… [the money] will help us improve the dental hygiene of children across the county, by helping them get on the right foot and into good habits around cleaning and looking after their teeth.’