MIKE HEDGES PRAISES WELSH GOVERNMENT FOR ITS PROGAME FOR ORAL HEALTH OF CARE HOME RESIDENTS.

MIKE HEDGES PRAISES WELSH GOVERNMENT FOR ITS PROGAME FOR ORAL HEALTH OF CARE HOME RESIDENTS.

Speaking from The Senedd, Mike Hedges said…. ‘Oral Health is so important to feeling well and if you have to live in a residential home it can so easily be over looked. I am so pleased that the Welsh Government is focusing on this area of life for our elderly citizens. As the Minister noted, I have spoken about this topic before, and I will continue to do so because I think that it is a real success story for preventative spending by the Welsh Government. Our elderly citizens should have the best oral health possible and this spend helps them achieve this ’

Copy To Clipboard Share To Facebook Share To Twitter Share To LinkedIn
Video
Mike Hedges AM – It is understandable that many care home residents have poor dental health when they first move into care, as they often move into care due to deteriorating health and lack of mobility. As dental access for children is at an all-time high, and, as you know, I speak very regularly about how good Designed to Smile is, does the Minister agree with me that it’s fantastic news for older people that the A Lasting Smile programme budget will double next year, ensuring that the scheme reaches all care homes across Wales?65

Rebecca Evans AM 14:02:08

Copy To Clipboard Share To Facebook Share To Twitter Share To LinkedIn
Video
I thank Mike Hedges for raising that particular, important issue and for his constant support for Designed to Smile. I remember in the finance scrutiny session just recently, he was able to cite that as one of the excellent examples of really, truly preventative spend that we do have in Wales. I think it’s only right that we seek to focus our efforts to improve the dental and oral health of older people who are living in care homes, so I’m delighted that the Minister for Health and Social Services announced an additional £0.25 million to extend that Gwên am Byth—A Lasting Smile oral health programme into the next year, and we’re doubling the available funding for that now to ensure that it’s rolled out to every single care home in Wales during 2020.