HEALTH Secretary John Reid has been told to adapt the measures used to attract family doctors to unpopular areas in the drive to get more dentists in East Lancashire.

Pendle MP Gordon Prentice has been lobbying Dr Reid and his Ministerial team on the issue following constituents telling him it is still virtually impossible to get NHS dental treatment in the area. He said existing moves to tackle the problem had so far been ineffective. The Labour backbencher said: "I have pressed John Reid to take action to improve the dire state of NHS dentistry in North East Lancashire and Pendle in particular.

"Very many of my constituents have told me that it is well nigh impossible to get and NHS dentists.

"I want the Government to use similar tactics as those used to encourage doctors to practise in under-doctored areas. GPs are given 'golden handshakes' to come to an area and those close to retirement 'golden handcuffs' to keep them for a few more years. I think a similar scheme would help where NHS dentists are virtually non-existent.

"I have been told by Health Minister Rosie Winterton that measures to recruit more dentists to the NHS are being looked at."