Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the availability of NHS dental care for head and neck cancer survivors.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of local populations, including those with a diagnosis or previous diagnosis of head and neck cancer.

NHS England has published guidance for ICBs to help ensure patients with a diagnosis of cancer can access oral healthcare in a timely manner. This guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/oral-healthcare-provision-for-cancer-pathways/

It outlines an “oral health in cancer pathway”, which includes patients with a diagnosis of head and neck cancer. This guidance applies throughout England.

There are currently no plans to extend free dental care to those with a diagnosis of head or neck cancer.