Crunch meeting over Totton fluoridation plan

TOTTON residents will know next Thursday if fluoride is to be added to their water supply, when NHS executives meet to decide the plans.
About 8,000 people in the town could be affected by Southampton Primary Care Trust's proposals which, although targeted at the city, would include its neighbour because of the layout of the pipes.
During the three-month consulta-tion last year, more than 10,000 people responded and the results will be presented to the board of the South Central Strategic Health Authority (SHA) at a public meeting in Southampton.
Its members will make the final decision whether or not to allow an increase in fluoride from its current level of 0.08 parts per million to one part per million. If approved, it will affect up to 195,000 people overall.
The trust argued its plans would help tackle tooth decay among children and adults in the city, which is worse than the national average in England despite a number of public health measures.
But opponents fear the controver-sial additive has harmful side effects, ranging from mottled teeth to some forms of cancer, and object to "forced medication". Others suspect Southampton fluoridation could encourage Hampshire Primary Care Trust to do the same.
Objectors included Totton and Eling Town Council, as well as the New Forest and Hampshire councils. New Forest East MP Julian Lewis has added his name to those calling on the SHA to reject the move.
He told the 'A&T': "I think they have to consider the general prin-ciple that you do not medicate an entire community just because some families are unwilling to properly educate their children in dental hygiene."
He also branded the consultation a "sham" and said: "This is like a Stalin-ist state or a banana republic that goes through the motions of follow-ing the constitution of the country when everybody knows that the whole thing is rigged from start to finish."
He has written to the health service ombudsman to complain about the way it was handled. If it wants a re-run consultation, Dr Lewis hoped that could delay fluoridation until after the next general election and a possible new government with different views.
However, Pennington district councillor Paul Hickman said he was in favour and wanted Hampshire Primary Care Trust to consider extending fluoride across the New Forest to help make up for too few NHS dentists.
He believed it was safe in minimal additions and said: "I would not say that the anti-fluoridation people should be put on the same level as the people who protested about the MMR vaccine but it is the same thing really.
"I am sure people are going to the dentist less because they have to pay for it. It is making things difficult for health authorities to keep dental decay down because of the lack of NHS dentistry."
If fluoridation is approved next week, the SHA will order Southern Water under the Water Fluoridation Regulations 2005 to add it to the supply. It would be the first time the new legislation has been used In this way.
A spokesman for the SHA said setting up the equipment and legal agreements for fluoridation could delay its introduction until 2010 at the earliest, and would probably be later. The meeting next Thursday; will be held at 2pm at St Mary's foot-ball stadium, Southampton.

From the Lymington Times 21st Feb