Eastfield councillors call on local MP to restore local dental services
Councillors in Eastfield have called on the local MP to restore dental services to the area amid ongoing access issues.
Cllr Tony Randerson has appealed to Scarborough MP, Sir Robert Goodwill, to intervene in a bid to accelerate the process of bringing NHS dental services back to the town. It is almost two years since the local surgery closed and there is no news of any impending changes. NHS England had told councillors they hoped to have a new contract provider in place during the summer, but there have been no updates.
Sir Robert Goodwill admitted that patients are missing out and expressed concerns about the impact on other health services, including Accident and Emergency departments. He has agreed to help, but stressed that a shortage of dental appointments is an issue that is affecting people across the country. He believes that the current commissioning model needs improving and suggested that it could take some time before changes to the NHS dental contract start to contribute to positive changes.
There is a shortage of NHS dentists in many parts of the country, which is making it difficult for patients to access appointments without joining waiting lists, travelling significant distances or waiting a long time to see a dentist. Some patients are paying for private dental services because there are no available NHS places close to them.
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