Rutland dental practice axes NHS provision leaving thousands of patients without a dentist
Thousands of people will be left without a dentist following the decision to axe NHS provision from a Rutland practice.
MyDentist Oakham will no longer offer NHS care when the company moves to new premises in Barleythorpe in August.
The practice, which is currently based in Burley Road, has almost 3,500 patients on the books.
Among them is new mum Natalie Wildman, from Cottesmore, who registered two years ago when she moved to the area.
After receiving a letter two weeks ago to say she was being dropped from the practice, Natalie spent a day calling dentists in Rutland, Stamford, Grantham and Corby and says nowhere is taking on new patients.
She said: “We’ve been driven to a situation where we will have to go private.
“With the cost of living crisis, this is just another expense that we could do without, especially while I’m on maternity leave.
“It’s easier for my family because we have professional jobs, but for people who are already living on the breadline, it puts them in a difficult position.”
A spokesman for MyDentist said: “Like many dental providers across the country, we have struggled to recruit NHS dentists over recent years and this has become much more challenging since the pandemic.
“As a result, as part of our plans for relocation, we have been forced to make the very difficult decision to cease providing NHS dental treatment from August 8.”
Rutland MP Alicia Kearns (Con) has raised the issue with health secretary Savid Javid and a debate on NHS dentistry was due to take place at Westminster Hall yesterday afternoon (Wednesday).
In her letter to the health secretary, Mrs Kearns said: “I have been contacted by many worried parents and patients requiring treatments that are not accessible.
“Those on benefits requiring urgent care or new mothers can also not access the care they are entitled to.
“This situation is unacceptable and I would request that urgent steps are taken to bring back NHS dentistry provision to the people of Rutland and Melton.”
She contacted the East Midlands NHS Dentistry Team for help, which recommended people visit the NHS website to find a dentist, but many of the listings are out of date.
Mrs Kearns continued: “The Government has a responsibility to provide dental healthcare to children and other in-need patients.
“Unfortunately this responsibility is not currently being met in Rutland and Melton.”
Natalie is pleased that Mrs Kearns is taking action, but believes years of underfunding by the Conservative Party is to blame.
She said: “It’s good that the MP is fighting this for her constituents, but I think it’s a result of Tory policies which have driven practices to such extreme
measures.
“There’s a real sense of injustice that normal people can’t even see a dentist because of the Tories’ lack of spending.
“It’s a desperate situation. As a new mum I should be entitled to free care during my maternity leave which makes it even more frustrating for me.
“By the time my daughter is old enough to see a dentist, I’ll be a working mum and won’t be able to take huge amounts of time out of the day to travel miles for a dental appointment.”
MyDentist Oakham said its new seven-seat surgery will allow the company to increase its number of patients and offer private dental plans from the equivalent of 25 pence a day.
