Lymington Times - Wafer firm admits NHS fluoride plan may miss out some areas
Wafer firm admits NHS fluoride plan may miss out some areas
THE planned fluoridation of Southampton's waiter supply, which will affect around 8,000 Totton residents, may not reach all of the intended areas of the scheme, it has emerged.
The South Central Strategic Health Authority (SHA) gave its approval in 2009 for the chemical to be added to the city's supply after the local primary care trust said it was needed to combat child tooth decay.
But in a letter responding to.a query about dosing stations, a senior customer relations adviser at Southern Water wrote: "Depending upon the location of this dosing system it is most likely that not all the areas identified in the schemes of the feasibility study .will actually receive a fluoridated supply."
The controversial scheme had been on hold for two years pending the outcome of a judicial review challenge to the SHA's decision to back the plans, but High Court judges backed the authority.
Before the SHA board voted unanimously in February 2009 to approve the scheme, a feasibility report suggested fluoride could be added at two dosing stations —- an existing water plant at Otterbourne and a new station in Rownhams:
A spokeswoman for the SHA told the 'A&T' it was continuing with its plan to add the chemical to the supply by 2013.
She added: "The SHA has formally requested that Southern Water increases the fluoride content of the water that it supplies to premises
within the area covered by the proposed scheme.
"The , SHA is working with Southern Water on developing an implementation plan which will be shared with key stakeholders.
"We are still working on the timetable [and it] is our aim to complete implementation in 2013 — however, we do not yet have a specific implementation date.
"The actual location of the dosing system has yet to be finalised and that will determine the precise areas that will receive fluoridated water.
"The board unanimously decided that the health benefits outweigh all of the arguments against water fluoridation for the population described in the consultation and remains confident with this decision.
THE planned fluoridation of Southampton's waiter supply, which will affect around 8,000 Totton residents, may not reach all of the intended areas of the scheme, it has emerged.
The South Central Strategic Health Authority (SHA) gave its approval in 2009 for the chemical to be added to the city's supply after the local primary care trust said it was needed to combat child tooth decay.
But in a letter responding to.a query about dosing stations, a senior customer relations adviser at Southern Water wrote: "Depending upon the location of this dosing system it is most likely that not all the areas identified in the schemes of the feasibility study .will actually receive a fluoridated supply."
The controversial scheme had been on hold for two years pending the outcome of a judicial review challenge to the SHA's decision to back the plans, but High Court judges backed the authority.
Before the SHA board voted unanimously in February 2009 to approve the scheme, a feasibility report suggested fluoride could be added at two dosing stations —- an existing water plant at Otterbourne and a new station in Rownhams:
A spokeswoman for the SHA told the 'A&T' it was continuing with its plan to add the chemical to the supply by 2013.
She added: "The SHA has formally requested that Southern Water increases the fluoride content of the water that it supplies to premises
within the area covered by the proposed scheme.
"The , SHA is working with Southern Water on developing an implementation plan which will be shared with key stakeholders.
"We are still working on the timetable [and it] is our aim to complete implementation in 2013 — however, we do not yet have a specific implementation date.
"The actual location of the dosing system has yet to be finalised and that will determine the precise areas that will receive fluoridated water.
"The board unanimously decided that the health benefits outweigh all of the arguments against water fluoridation for the population described in the consultation and remains confident with this decision.
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