SOUTH Lakes MP Tim Farron spoke out in the Houses of Commons over waiting times for dentist appointments in the UK.

Tim spoke about the extreme waiting times to see NHS dentists currently being faced by patients, and he demanded more from the government.

Tim raised the fact that in the last two years, only a third of adults in Cumbria have been seen by an NHS dentist.

Meanwhile, for young people and children, that number is less than half.

Speaking in parliament this morning, Tim said: “We have an aging system – the unit of dental activity which is based on a snapshot taken 15 years ago and is completely unfit for purpose, as dentists and patients around the country are telling the Government.

"Will the Secretary of State listen to dentists and patients and reform the system urgently?.”

In response the newly appointed Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, said that there would be a written ministerial statement released today that proves the Department for Health has listened to these aforementioned concerns.

He finished his response with: “This government, through the 1.7 Billion pounds of income protection during the pandemic has done much to best facilitate the ability of dentistry to now bounce back.”

Speaking afterwards Tim said: “I do not hold out much hope for this ministerial statement as although they say they have listened to dentists and patients, this has been a problem here in Cumbria for years now and the Conservative government have done nothing to fix it."