Berwick dental patients face uncertainty as mydentist announces practice closure
Dental patients in Berwick are facing uncertainty after mydentist announced the closure of its Castlegate practice.
The chain has confirmed that the practice, which offers both private and NHS dental services, will shut at the end of September. Patients have been notified, with the operator citing staff shortages as the primary reason. Despite ongoing efforts, the company has not been able to recruit dentists to the area, making it impossible to keep the practice open.
Berwick East city councillor, Georgina Hill, has contacted chiefs at Northumberland County Council to ask for the issue to be debated as a matter of urgency at the next meeting of the council’s Health and Wellbeing Overview Scrutiny Committee. She copied in the health secretary, Steve Barclay and the MP for Berwick, Anne-Marie Trevelyan and asked the government to outline what it was doing to tackle national shortages and NHS dental access issues.
According to Ms Hill, most patients in the area cannot afford to go private and even private practices now have waiting lists, such is the demand for treatment. With the cost of living increasing, more and more people are struggling to “make ends meet” and there is a real risk of patients resorting to DIY treatment and “dental care falling back to Victorian standards.”
Berwick West with Ord councillor, Isabel Hunter, is a patient at the mydentist practice. She said that it was already difficult to get an appointment with an NHS dentist in the area, and now the situation will get even worse. She added that the closure will affect all ages and “have a detrimental impact on people’s health.”
Mydentist blamed difficulties recruiting dentists in the region, suggesting that it was no longer possible to operate the practice “sustainably.”
The Castlegate surgery will close on September 30th. Patients who are currently undergoing treatment will be prioritised to ensure that courses are completed before the practice shuts.
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