York Guides

Joint bid by two universities goes through to last round for decision by joint implementation group

DROP THE ROT
Alexandra Wood (Yorkshire Post)
BACKERS of a world-class school of dentistry in East Yorkshire have expressed their delight after making it through to the last round.

The Government invited proposals from universities to set up a new school as part of plans to increase the number of dentists in training by 25 per cent.
Hull and York universities say their plan should have a huge impact on dental shortages in the region, which have left thousands without access to routine NHS care.
The Yorkshire Post launched the Stop the Rot campaign in April to highlight the region's critical shortages in NHS dental care.
A survey found fewer than one in six dentists in the region – the equivalent of 16 per cent – was accepting NHS patients for routine check-ups compared with 28 per cent in the previous year.
Only 14 out of the 155 dentists providing NHS services in Hull and the East Riding are currently accepting new NHS patients. Many in the city are reaching retirement age and there are concerns about what will happen when they stop work.
Around 19 organisations submitted bids to set up a new dental school, with Hull and York universities becoming one of half a dozen to make it through to the next round. They now have to draw up more detailed proposals including cost estimates by September 28, before a presentation in November in front of the joint implementation group, made up of NHS and Higher Education Funding Council officials.
One of the bid leaders, Professor Ian Wand, said: "The fact we have got through is very significant. We will be talking to professions, people in hospitals and patient groups. It's an enormous exercise, we have to keep talking to each other and hone it into a bid that we feel confident with, that the universities, health service and local community feel confident with."
The Hull-York bid would create a school to eventually teach 450 students, and aims to replicate the success of the new Hull-York Medical School, which in just two years has shot to the top of the league tables and is inundated with applicants.
Graham Stuart, Tory MP for Beverley and Holderness, said the dental school was needed to reverse a trend that could soon make it almost impossible for people to access routine NHS dental care in the region.
The few still offering NHS services to new patients were based in Hull and anyone else would have to travel up to 30 miles to get NHS care, unless they were in an emergency.
"I am delighted to give this magnificent joint project my full support. Access to NHS dentistry has collapsed in recent years. The number of people registered with an NHS dentist has plummeted. In Beverley and Holderness, just 52 per cent of the population have access to NHS care. The bottom line is that we are short of dentists. I will be lobbying Ministers hard to ensure that this joint bid is successful."
A final decision is expected by Christmas, with the first student intake starting training in September 2007.
The school, which would be based 50/50 in Hull and York, would be different to traditional training of dentists in hospitals. Students would spend most of their time training in the community, giving them more time with patients, and drastically improving access in rural parts of North and East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.