Lack of dentists sees door close to new NHS patients
As the NHS celebrated its 75th birthday this week, promising healthcare free at the point of use, Argyll and Bute has been hit by a shortage of NHS dentists - in fact, there is no space at all for new adult patients.
A local campaign, urging the Scottish Government for help, was sparked by The Hollies Dental Practice in Dunoon de-registering from NHS dental services to adults from 30 September 2023.
A concerned resident told The Oban Times: “The only NHS dental practice in our area is now going private. I have contacted numerous practices as far as Helensburgh and Port Glasgow, and there is no availability or they are private.
“For so many struggling families, pensioners and hardworking people, they now face the choice of another bill, food, or heat, or health care.”
A petition, Reinstate NHS Dentistry Dunoon & Cowal, has attracted more than 700 signatures since May. “There will shortly be no NHS dentistry services in Dunoon,” it says.
“There appears to be no availability of NHS dentistry in Inverclyde and North Ayrshire.
This is wholly unacceptable and we demand action from the Scottish Government to rectify this.”
“Not everyone can afford private, and this will affect so many people,” said one comment.
“We have paid into NHS all our lives. Now at the stage we may need dental treatment and being on a pension will find it hard to pay,” said another.
“We are sliding into a twotier system where only the wealthy can look after their teeth, and those on a living wage will only go to the dentist for tooth extraction when the pain gets too extreme,” said a third.
“Dentists are many times the first to spot oral cancer. If you can’t afford to see a dentist, then this will also be missed,” said a fourth.
“NHS dentistry is vanishing off the face of the earth! This needs very urgent intervention,” said a fifth. Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), on June 28, pointed to a national shortage of NHS dentists: “This change to the business model in Dunoon mirrors the picture in Highland, nationally, and across the UK.
“There are 14 dental practices in Argyll & Bute HSCP. Practices have varied commitments to NHS Dental Service provision. No practices are currently accepting new adult patients.
“Some practices may agree to put patients on a waiting list for NHS registration, however there are very limited opportunities for children to be registered for NHS dental care. Some practices may register children for NHS care if parents sign up for a private dental plan.
“In relation to the dental services in the hospital, this is part of the Public Dental Service Clinic and provides dental care for priority patient groups only - those whose needs can only be met in a specialist setting - and will therefore be unable to pick up the NHS work from the Hollies, in line with national policy.”
Argyll and Bute MSP Jenni Minto, who is also the public health minister responsible for dentistry, said: “Our Scottish Dental Access Initiative grants are available to boards to encourage new practices, or extension of existing practices, where demand for NHS dentistry exceeds current supply.
“Dentistry statistics demonstrate a significantly improving picture for the sector since the relaxation of Infection Prevention Controls on the sector in April 2022. Through a combination of payment reform and working closely with NHS Boards on local solutions, we are confident we will continue to see the continuation of these trends.”
More to follow.