Cyclist Missing Teeth After Accident Frustrated By Lack Of NHS Urgent Case Status
A young cyclist, who lost six teeth after being hit by a car, has expressed her frustration after she was informed that her case was not urgent and told to join a waiting list to have her teeth replaced.
Twenty year old Alex Kerr was cycling home after work when she was involved in an accident with a car; she suffered extensive injuries, including a broken pelvis, dislocated knee joints and a broken wrist, as well as losing her six front teeth. After recovering from most of her injuries in hospital in Northampton, Alex was looking forward to getting her teeth replaced, but was shocked to hear that she would have to join a waiting list for treatment and would find out at a later date whether or not she would be forced to pay for the £12,000 procedure.
Alex said that she feels very frustrated that she is not being considered as an “acute case”, especially as she has read numerous stories in the press about people getting cosmetic surgery on the NHS due to a lack of confidence. She said that she feels very uncomfortable having no front teeth at the age of 20 and feels that her case is a lot more serious than others.
The NHS advised Alex that she would not qualify for treatment straight away because her case was not urgent. According to an interview in the press, the 20 year old was also informed that she would receive treatment quicker if she agreed to pay for the procedure herself.
A spokesman for Northampton General Hospital said that there was high demand for dental treatment and Alex has been placed on the list for treatment. He assured Alex that the processes were going through and confirmed that she has not been “abandoned by the NHS.”
A private dentist has also offered to carry out dental implant treatment, provided that Alex covers the cost of the materials.
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