People needing NHS dental care in Hampshire feel that they are unable to visit a dentist as often as they would like, a patients’ survey suggests.

The Healthcare Commission’s 2008 Patient National Survey of Local Health Services revealed that those asked placed Hampshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) in the 20% of the least well performing trusts when it came to accessing dental care.

Hampshire PCT achieved an overall score of just 43 out of 100, based on answers given by randomly selected residents who filled in and returned a questionnaire quizzing them on a range of services provided over the past year.

Anna Walker, the Healthcare Commission’s chief executive, said people in Hampshire could be faced with a big health concern unless access to dentists’ services was improved.

She said the survey’s results reflected a “continuing concern” about residents’ attitudes towards the service.

“Regular dental treatment is important for maintaining good oral hygiene,” Ms Walker added. “If a large proportion of people do not receive this treatment regularly, we could be facing a significant national health problem in years to come.”

Some 48% — a total of 556 — of the patients who were chosen decided to respond to the questionnaire that landed on their doormats.

Other areas of concern included if patients had been offered a choice of which hospital to where they were referred and if in the last 12 months they had had their blood pressure taken.

Scores of 35 and 64 respectively also placed Hampshire PCT in the 20% of the worst performing national trusts.

However the PCT scored in the top 20% of best performing trusts in seven of the 34 questions posed.

Patients’ average score for getting a GP appointment three or more days in advance was 80, while residents classified the support given by GPs to manage long-term health conditions as one of the highest in the country with 67, the best being 74.

Those responding to the questionnaire also praised specific dealings with doctors. Overall a score of 97 was given for patients feeling if they were treated with respect and dignity while understandable explanations of any treatment required was ranked on average as 91.

The survey showed that people were pleased with both the amount of information about the purpose and how to use medicine — both 93 — and any details about the possible side-effects that remedies could cause (78).

Stuart Ward, Hampshire PCT’s clinical director, said: “We are delighted with the excellent results of this survey as they reflect the continued commitment of GPs and practice teams across Hampshire to meet the needs of patients.

“I am particularly pleased that those practices which have worked hard to improve access for patients since the 2006-07 survey have seen that reflected in improved results.

“A few practices still have a little more work to do and the PCT will be offering support to them over the coming months.

“The survey highlighted places that patients think that we need to improve and we are working with services to make these improvements.”

Ms Walker said the survey results showed the high regard that many patients had for the services at their GP surgeries.

“This is really good news,” she added. “Not least because the NHS sees the vast majority of its patients in GP surgeries and health centres rather than in hospitals.

“However, people clearly do want to be able to see a GP more easily and at more convenient times. It is clear that more people want to be able to book appointments several days ahead and that many people want more flexible opening hours.

“In addition, a significant proportion of patients are not being offered a choice of hospital. These are issues that a modern 21st century health service really ought to be able to address.”

The publication of the survey will help PCTs and GPs to address patients’ concerns, Ms Walker said. She added: “In assessing the performance of PCTs, we at the Commission will take account of patients’ views and ask questions about the issues raised.”

The Local Health Services Survey is conducted every year across all 60 national PCTs and is used to gain the views of patients and their experiences of primary care.

Random patients were sent the questionnaire to complete and were asked for their experiences over the past year.

The national response was around 40%, with 69,470 people returning their questionnaire.