Fears for the Future of Essex Dental Practice as NHS Contract is Cancelled
There are fears for the future of a dental practice in Essex after NHS England withdrew its contract on New Year’s Eve.
Mersea Road Dental Surgery, which is part of the Prettygate Dental Surgery chain, has lost its NHS contract from April 1st 2015, amid concerns about its financial viability and the safety of the premises. The news has been confirmed following two meetings of the Direct Commissioning Oversight Group for NHS England, and the company has received a letter detailing the reasons why the contract will not continue in the future.
The letter from NHS England states that the premises are too small and there are concerns about the suitability of the building and fears that the facilities do not match modern requirements. Financial viability is also mentioned, and representatives claim that there are already plenty of spaces available in the local area, with dental practices well-served by public transport links.
If the practice is unable to continue operating as a private surgery, it will close later in the year.
Dave Harris, ward member, reacted angrily to the news, claiming that local people need the surgery and criticising NHS England for slashing funding for the surgery over the last three years. He has pledged to fight the decision for local constituents and has urged residents to support his petition.
Representatives from NHS England have invited the practice owners to a meeting to discuss the letter. Carolyn Larsen, head of primary care at NHS England (Essex) said that the decision has been made taking many factors into account, including the fact that there are abundant NHS dental services to provide care for patients registered with the Mersea Road surgery in the event of a closure.
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