Countryfile: BBC defends including NHS dentist segment in popular country life and nature show

BBC has defended including a segment on NHS dentist shortages in popular nature and country life show Countryfile - after a number of viewer complaints.

The popular, long-running documentary series focuses on “the people, places and stories making news in the British countryside”, the BBC says. But an episode which aired last month on 17 March attracted some controversy, after featuring a segment focusing on lack of access to NHS dentistry in rural communities.

Posts on X - formerly known as Twitter - lamented the shows sudden departure from its usual farming and environmental stories, and queried what the segment “had to do with Countryfile”. Others said it was a nationwide problem, and better suited to a current affairs show.

However, some commenters defended the segment’s inclusion in the show. One viewer posted that Countryfile “is not just about nature... it's about the countryside where people who live and work (some of whom need dentists).”

This week, the BBC responded to the concerns about whether the piece on dentistry access belonged in the show, and acknowledged it had received some complaints about it. Countryfile covered a "wide range of rural affairs issues affecting rural areas and communities", a spokesperson told the Daily Express.

"In this programme, Countryfile investigated the lack of NHS dentistry provision in Devon and Cornwall. Our film acknowledged this is a national problem but focused on the stories of those living in rural areas," they continued. "Previously the programme has produced diverse films including shortfalls in Special Education Needs provision and the difficulties recruiting Midwifery staff in rural areas."

Difficulty accessing NHS dental care has been in the spotlight recently, after it was revealed that millions of Britons had not been to a dentist in more than two years. In February, the government offered NHS dentists a £20,000 "golden handshake" to work in “under-served” areas of the UK for up to three years.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "NHS dentistry was hit hard by the pandemic and while services are improving – with 23 per cent more treatments delivered last year compared to the previous year – we know that for too many people, accessing a dentist isn’t as easy as it should be. That’s why we’re taking action today to boost the number of NHS dentists, help cut waiting lists and put NHS dentistry on a sustainable footing for the long-term.

"Backed by £200m, this new recovery plan will deliver millions more NHS dental appointments and provide easier and faster access to care for people right across the country,” he added.