From Ann Richards

The Hampshire PCT circus came to Emsworth Community Centre on Wednesday 13 December for its monthly general meeting. Peter and I decided to take the opportunity of attending because they are unlikely to come to such a convenient venue again in the near future.We went armed with an extract from the American Dental Association’s website (www.ADA.org) dealing with babies and the mixing of formula feeds with fluoridated water. Although still very pro-fluoridation the ADA has at last quietly slipped onto their website the admission that it is dangerous for babies to have formula feeds made up with fluoridated water and that up to the age of 6 children are incapable of spitting out fluoridated toothpastes or mouthwashes. We added an article by Daniel G Stockin Harmed Babies and Minorities: Acceptable Collateral Damage of Water Fluoridation which spells out the implications of this admission very succinctly.It was not easy to talk to board members because most arrived late. However we were able to speak to a representative of Petersfield Patient and Public Involvement Forum (PPI) and she was very forthcoming. She said that fluoridation was completely off the agenda for 2007, although it could raise its head again later. She agreed to take our information sheets back to her PPI. A man who was with Gosport and Fareham PCT and now works for Hampshire knew nothing about fluoridation but said that everyone is still trying to come to terms with the PCT reorganisation hence there is little time to worry about much else.Then we buttonholed Professor Montgomery, Chairman of the PCT; he confirmed that fluoridation is off the timetable for the present, but he did mention that he is serving on the BMA Ethics Advisory Group and said that the group will be looking at fluoridation. He took our handout and promised to put it before a group meeting – but he could not promise anything! On the positive side he had a pleasant approach and is obviously nobody’s fool.It does not seem that we can do much more to fight fluoridation in this area unless/until the PCT brings it to the fore again.
We intend to keep a watch on the web for future meetings of the PCT and to scrutinise agendas.The next meeting will be held at 2.30 pm on Thursday 25 January 2007 at The Market Room, The Grosvenor Hotel, Stockbridge SO20 6EU.