Developed by the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Acute Federation, in collaboration with hospital Trusts across the region, this innovative pilot aims to enhance access to paediatric dental surgery for children across Doncaster, Rotherham, Sheffield, and Barnsley.
Children in South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw have some of the highest levels of tooth decay in the country, leading to children often facing long waiting times for essential dental interventions under general anaesthetic. Research data, compiled before the introduction of the hub, indicated that additional appointments were needed to meet ongoing demand and alleviate waiting lists which can see some children waiting up to a year for treatment.
The Paediatric Dental Surgery Hub is being piloted as an elective surgery provision to improve dental health for children in the region, to clear the backlog of children and young people waiting for surgery, and to reduce the wait times for dental intervention surgery in the future.
The pilot will run for 12 months, adding much-needed capacity to reduce wait times and to test the regional hub model, which could be implemented permanently in the future. So far, the new hub has treated 100 patients from the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw area.
The new hub approach to dental care includes specialist assessments within the dental department at Montagu Hospital in Mexborough and Surgical treatment at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, led by consultants in paediatric dentistry from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.
Mona Agel, Paediatric Dental Consultant at the hub, expressed enthusiasm about the launch: “We are thrilled to launch this dedicated paediatric surgical hub to serve the children and families of South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw. Good oral health is crucial for a child’s overall well-being, and this hub will ensure that children receive the specialist dental care they need in a supportive and friendly environment, and in a timely manner.”
The launch of the Paediatric Dental Hub comes as part of a wider initiative to improve overall health services for young patients in the region. The Acute Federation is working alongside hospitals in the region to transform other areas of children’s care including; improvements to transition (moving from paediatrics to adult care), virtual wards for paediatrics and improving access to Ear, Nose and Throat services.
Children in Doncaster, Rotherham, Sheffield, and Barnsley who have been referred by their dentist or healthcare provider to their local Trust for tooth extraction, can be transferred to the Hub to access faster assessment and treatment.
