Seven Lessons on the Future of Somerset’s Health Services

Local health experts emphasize that increased funding and urgent NHS contract reforms are essential to guarantee Somerset residents can easily access GP and dental services. On Friday evening, May 30, dozens of residents gathered at Taunton’s CIC Centre for the ‘Rebuilding our NHS’ event, organised by Gideon Amos, Liberal Democrat MP for Taunton and Wellington.

Mr Amos was joined by a panel of health experts who reviewed the findings of his survey on local dental services and answered questions from attendees. Following the meeting, Mr Amos vowed to continue advocating for enhanced health services in the region, including upgrades to Musgrove Park Hospital.

Here are seven key insights into Somerset’s health service crisis—and potential ways to resolve it:

Access to NHS Dental Care Is Alarming
Nearly 2,100 constituents responded to Mr Amos’ dental services survey, mainly aged 35-44. It revealed that 71% of adults eligible for free NHS dental care cannot find an NHS dentist. Among children, 64% face the same issue. Disturbingly, 23% of children have no access to a dentist at all, whether NHS or private, while 41% rely on private care funded by parents who spend an average of £470 over five years. Mr Amos commented, “Taunton and Wellington are particularly underserved, with only 36% of children able to access NHS dentists—much lower than the county average of 40%. Many have never even seen a dentist due to cost and lack of NHS options.”
Funding for Dentistry Is Underused
Jonathan Mynors-Wallis, a British Dental Association (BDA) member and dental advisor for NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board, revealed a surprising annual underspend on dentistry—around £10 million annually in Dorset alone—likely mirrored in Somerset. “The current NHS dental contract, last negotiated in 2006, disincentivizes dentists from providing NHS services,” he explained. “Dentistry receives less funding than anywhere else in Europe and less than Scotland or Wales. Dentists are undervalued by 35%, affecting their ability to maintain full NHS practices.”
NHS Dental Contract and Staffing Challenges
Dentists operate private practices contracted to NHS services and receive no capital funding to expand or establish new clinics. “Many dental practices occupy old buildings. Young dentists, often burdened with £100,000 of student debt, find it hard to afford a practice under current contracts. We need innovative solutions to this,” Mr Mynors-Wallis noted. Complex administrative processes and increased material costs due to Brexit further discourage NHS dental work.
The Need for Health Hubs in New Developments
Sarah Wakefield, Somerset Council’s portfolio holder for adult services and housing, stressed the importance of integrating health facilities into major housing projects. “New estates like Orchard Grove deserve medical centres onsite, but developers don’t build them because they’re unsure there are enough doctors or dentists,” she said. “This fractured thinking must be corrected with a clear social contract between government and the public.”
Changing Demands on General Practice
Retired GP Dr Lucy Pendered highlighted the evolving complexity of healthcare demands since the NHS’s inception. “Patients now often live longer with multiple chronic conditions needing ongoing management, straining primary care,” she said. GPs face 12 to 13-hour working days with outdated facilities, ineffective IT systems, and staff shortages. Dr Pendered also warned that high patient expectations and dwindling support services like health visitors further strain the system.
Adult Social Care Faces a Funding Crisis
Ms Wakefield underscored the urgent need for reform in adult social care funding and delivery. “38% of council tax funds adult social care, supporting 6,000–7,000 people locally. Unlike the NHS, adult social care is means-tested and fragmented under local authorities. Government reforms risk pushing more costs onto councils, threatening financial stability,” she warned. The government’s ongoing review of adult social care will be crucial in shaping future provisions.
A Call for Long-Term NHS Investment and Reform
Dr Pendered urged a cross-party, 30-year NHS plan to address shortages of doctors and dentists, acknowledging it takes about a decade to train a GP. Mr Mynors-Wallis advised caution regarding compulsory NHS service for new dentists, stressing the need for fair pay and better contracts to retain professionals. Mr Amos reaffirmed a commitment to upgrading Musgrove Park Hospital, emphasizing the critical state of its maternity unit which urgently requires attention.

With the NHS dental contract in urgent need of reform and significant pressures on local health services, Mr Amos is set to deliver his survey findings to the government, NHS Somerset, and the BDA. He concluded optimistically, “The NHS was built during rationing and crisis in 1942; in 2025, I truly believe we can fix this.”