Health bosses looking into dentist recruitment - with Johnson Hospital site an option

Health bosses hope to start a recruitment process to re-open a dental surgery which has stood empty for some time.

The practice at Johnson Community Hospital is not operating as NHS England has struggled to find a dentist.

NHS England is currently in charge of commissioning dental services until next year when the baton will be passed to the new Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board.

A spokesperson for NHS England told the Free Press: “There is no dental service currently at Johnson Community Hospital as we could not find a provider in our procurement process.

“We hope to restart procurement, and interested providers may or may not choose the community hospital as a site from which to operate.”

Lincolnshire has just 72 dentists to serve patients - South Holland District Council was told last month.

Children are also being forced to wait years or travel to Northampton to access orthodontic treatment.