BURNLEY'S MP has today welcomed the news that the Department of Health is to fund two salaried dentists to serve Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale after declaring the current situation is "terrible."

The news follows a successful bid by the East Lancashire Public Health Network for £163,602 to provide NHS dental care.

One dentist is likely to be based at St Nicholas's Health Centre in Burnley with the other vacancy yet to be determined.

Mr Pike said today: "I am delighted to hear that the joint work that I, the East Lancashire Public Health Network, and Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust have been doing to address the shortage of NHS dental provision in Burnley is seeing some good results.

"The situation in Burnley has been terrible, and I have raised the issue countless times - both during Health questions in the House, and in correspondence with the relevant Ministers.

"Access to dental care is vital for all sections of our communities but the lack of NHS dental care provision has led to a dramatic fall in numbers of people going for regular dental check-ups.

"I regularly receive correspondence from constituents who are concerned about this and have, in the past, received somewhat unsatisfactory responses when I have represented their cases.

"With two further practices de-registering this year in the town this new funding will go some way to redressing this.

"But clearly it is not enough and I am hopeful that this new funding is only the start."

Health bosses said the shortage was made worse by practices going private, claiming demand and lack of cash was affecting their ability to treat patients.