NHS England opens seven new urgent hubs in Kent and Medway
NHS England and NHS Improvement have confirmed the opening of seven new urgent dental care hubs in Kent and Medway.
Patients have been encouraged to steer clear of dental practices during the Coronavirus, but NHS England is eager to stress that urgent treatment is still available while surgeries are shut. The urgent care hubs are designed to provide swift assistance for patients who have dental injuries and ailments that need immediate attention, for example, abscesses. Urgent care is available for NHS and private dental patients.
In Kent and Medway, new centres have opened in Rochester, Ramsgate, Larkfield, Ashford, Chatham, Canterbury and Maidstone. The hubs are part of a wider network of 36 centres operating across the South East.
The exact details of the clinics have not been revealed to ensure that patients only visit centres when they have an appointment. There are two ways of getting an appointment at a new urgent dental hub. The first is for patients who already have a dentist. If you are registered with a local practice, call the surgery and speak to your dentist. Your dentist will carry out a telephone consultation and they will decide whether you need an emergency appointment. Dentists are offering advice and prescribing medication online and via the telephone, and some patients may not need an appointment. If a patient does need to see a dentist, they will then be referred to a local hub. The second route is for patients who don’t currently have a dentist. If this is the case, individuals who are struggling can call NHS 111. The 111 service can also be used outside of practice opening hours.
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