Dental Patients Deserve Better Service

11.39.56am GMT Mon 6th Nov 2006

Local MP, Julia Goldsworthy has expressed her frustration at the news that the new NHS dentist in Redruth has been overwhelmed by the number of patients applying to join the practice.

The problem of a shortage of NHS dentists in the area was exacerbated earlier this year when the White Rose practice in Camborne opted out of the new contract, leaving 10,000 more people without an NHS dentist.

When it emerged that the new practice in Bond Street, Redruth, would take on only 7,500 patients, Julia warned that it risked being overwhelmed by patients seeking an NHS dentist.

Commenting, Julia Goldsworthy MP said:

"Earlier this year I contacted the Primary Care Trust in order to ask what measures were going to be put in place to ensure that the new dental practice would not be overwhelmed by the number of patients wanting to get on its books. It was clear that there are far more people wanting to see an NHS dentist than the new practice would be able to accept and I was worried about how this would be managed.

"It would appear that appropriate arrangements were not put in place and I have received numerous complaints from constituents who have been trying since September to register at the dentist and have been unable get through on the telephone numbers provided.

"I am particularly concerned about vulnerable people in the area who may not be comfortable with registering by telephone and are therefore not receiving the important dental treatment that they require.

"Once again, I have written to the Primary Care Trust and asked for appropriate arrangements to be made to manage the high number of incoming calls."

ENDS - For further information please contact Sam Cannicott

email: cannicotts@parliament.uk Tel: 0207 2198210 / 07751893270