£700K to improve oral health of elderly in Welsh care homes

New funding to improve the oral health of older people living in care homes has been announced by Deputy Minister for Health Vaughan Gething.

The £700,000 investment over the next two years will also increase access to special dental care for people with disabilities and special needs across Wales.

Almost £320,000 will be targeted at improving oral health care for people in care homes.  In addition, health boards will receive £370,000 to improve access to dental services for people with disabilities and complex medical conditions.  

Vaughan Gething (pictured) said: “We have been clear about the need to improve oral health across Wales.  This investment is targeted at vulnerable people who are not able to access conventional community dental care services.

“People who have disabilities or complex medical conditions need dental services, which are suitable for their needs, including appropriately trained and equipped dental teams.  

“With this funding, we will improve access to special care dentistry services across Wales and ensure there is a consistent approach to dental healthcare for people in care homes.”

The investment in special dental care for people with disabilities and special needs includes £70,000 to fund a trainee in Special Care Dentistry.  

As part of the funding to improve oral health for older people in care homes, care homes will be required to have a mouth care policy and at least one named oral care champion, responsible for promoting best practice.  

All residents will have an oral risk assessment carried out by qualified care home staff within the first seven days of moving to the home and at appropriate agreed intervals afterwards.

Commenting on the announcement, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Sarah Rochira, said: “I strongly welcome the Deputy Minister’s announcement that additional funding has been allocated to improving oral health care in Wales, with £320,000 targeted specifically at older people living in care homes.

“My Care Home Review, the findings of which were published at the end of last year, found that many older people living in care homes rarely or never have access to a dentist, which results in a significant deterioration of people’s oral health.

“My Review also found that care staff rarely receive training on oral hygiene, which means they unable to maintain the oral health needs of older people effectively or are unaware of how to identify a problem that needs to be referred to a dentist.

“Good oral health plays a key part in people’s overall health, wellbeing and quality of life so it is essential that older people have regular access to dental services and are supported by staff with the right skills to identify potential issues and make referrals on their behalf.

“I am therefore pleased that the additional funding will be used to ensure that every care home has a mouth care policy, that oral health assessments will be carried out upon entry into a care home and that each home will have an oral care champion who will be responsible for promoting best practice.

“There are, of course, many areas in which action must be taken to improve the health and wellbeing of care home residents, as set out in my Review report, but this announcement is a positive step forward and will make a real difference to the lives of many older people living in care homes in Wales.”