Dentist surgery to reopen after long lockdown

A DENTAL surgery is set to reopen next week after a lengthy closure brought about by lockdown.

Fed-up patient Roger Markman contacted the Free Press in disgust after the NHS dentist in Bacup - based at the Irwell Medical Centre - remained shut.

He claimed it had last been open “approximately 18 months” ago, with an emergency-only service operating from Oak House in Haslingden.

Mr Markman, who said he is pursuing a formal complaint, claimed: “My main complaint is that no reopening date has been given for the Bacup NHS dental practice so no patient has the slightest idea when this will occur.

“No communications have been sent by post or phone to the patients registered at the practice. All the other NHS dentists in the surrounding area are refusing to take any more NHS patients, it’s a private only patients windfall for these dentists!”

A Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: “To ensure safe dental care for those who visit and work at our dentist sites, not all of our dental services have been able to reopen due to the extra number of staff required to run dental sites, including at Irwell Medical Centre.

“We notified all patients with ongoing courses of treatment and offered services at our Burnley site to them and for people needing urgent care. We apologise for the inconvenience caused. Bacup Dental Centre should be reopening to patients on July 1, 2021 following adjustment to the site, improved techniques and an adapted service.”