Request

You asked us:

‘How many people are on the NHS waiting lists in England for a dentist appointment from 01/05/2019 to 01/05/2024. Please can I have the data broken down by year and region.

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.

Our response

I am writing to advise you that following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that the information you requested is not held by the NHS Business Services Authority.

We hold some Waiting List data, for some Community Dental Services (CDS) Contracts going back to May 2021, with the following limitations:

• Providers across the regions have different ways of receiving and processing referrals for assessment and treatment therefore, not all providers have been able to split out their data. Not all contracts deliver all of the services.

• Not all contracts have completed all required returns, and some may have only provided data for one survey.

We therefore do not hold complete information on how many people are on the NHS waiting lists in England for a dentist appointment from 01/05/2019 to 01/05/2024 data broken down by year and region.

However it is possible that NHS England may hold some or all of the information you require. They can be contacted at:

NHS England

PO Box 16738

Redditch

B97 9PT

Telephone 0300 311 22 33

Email: england.contactus@nhs.net

Web http://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/foi/