Patients’ champion in bid to ease dental crisis
Healthwatch North Yorkshire seeks your views on problem
An independent champion for patients is taking on the chronic NHS dentists shortage in Scarborough.
Healthwatch North Yorkshire says it is working with NHS England and Improvement in a bid to address the long-running saga.
The organisation – which describes itself as an “independent champion for people using local health and social care services in North Yorkshire” – has put out a plea on social media to speak to people in Scarborough who are interested in the future of dentistry services in the borough.
Anyone who is interested should call 01904 552687 or email admin@hwny.co.uk.
As reported by The Scarborough News, more Scarbor
ough residents have been left scrambling for a place on already overloaded NHS dentist waiting lists since {my}dentist on Dunslow Road shut at the end of last month.
Patients were told the closure was happening because the practice could not recruit enough dentists.
The struggle to find an NHS dentist has been a problem
that has plagued Scarborough for years.
In 2004, the issue made national news when hundreds of people queued round the block to sign up to a practice in New Queen Street.
One {my}dentist patient told The Scarborough News he had not been able to find another NHS dentist taking on new patients any nearer than Kirkbymoorside – 25 miles away – and even there he would need to join an 800 people-long waiting list.
One Scarborough News reader posted on our Facebook page: “Well I think the fact I had to pay £100 privately to have my tooth extracted says it all, not to mention the fact I’ve been on a dentists waiting list for over a year and other people have been waiting longer than that – it’s ridiculous!”
Another said: “Myself and my children are unable to travel and are in desperate need of a dentist. I couldn’t possibly afford private for us all even during my two recent pregnancies
“Hope there’s help for our town and surrounding areas sometime soon.”
And one posted: “I haven’t had a dentist for five years. Can’t find any NHS with less than a 12 month waiting list.”