A PATIENT in Teignbridge who needed a dental check-up before starting a course of medical treatment was unable to find an NHS dentist available.

The resident, who took part in a health survey set up by Newton Abbot MP Martin Wrigley, was forced to pay privately despite struggling to afford the check-up.

Mr Wrigley has launched the survey as part of his bid to improve health services for residents in his constituency.

He said: ‘Situations like this should not happen.’

He is demanding urgent healthcare investment from the government and has asked his constituents to share their healthcare experiences.

Mr. Wrigley said: 'The NHS is on its knees.

'We see it every day in long waiting times, GP surgeries underfunded to almost half their patient lists, and overworked staff.

‘I want the government to hear your stories, to understand how cancer waiting times are robbing you of time with loved ones, how ambulance waiting times are costing precious lives in our communities and how parents are struggling to get urgent dentist appointments for your children.

‘Our NHS deserves more than just warm words and empty promises and it is worth fighting for.

‘Every personal experience adds extra pressure on the government to fund better services and deliver better outcomes for everyone in our constituency, whether you’re eight or 88.’

Martin succeeded in getting the Government to commit to review and reform the outdated Carr-Hill formula, which is used to calculate how much a GP practice receives per patient, in order to ensure fair, equitable and appropriate funding for GPs across the country.

Armed with the results of this survey, he hopes to challenge the Government further to fix the NHS and make it fit for purpose, now, and in the future.

The health survey takes four minutes to complete.