Felixstowe patients dealt a blow as another dental practice goes private
Patients in Felixstowe have been dealt a major blow as another of the town’s dental practices is set to go private.
The team from A W Brown Dental Practice has written to patients to inform them that NHS services will not be available from April 1st 2023. The letter cited “a chronic lack of investment” as the main reason and also mentioned rising running costs and recruitment problems. The practice is one of only two clinics in Felixstowe that offer NHS dental care.
Marc James, whose family is registered with the practice, described the news as “another kick in the teeth for anyone going to work.” At a time when the cost of living is sky-high and all household bills are going up, people simply cannot afford to pay for private dentistry.
NHS dental services are rapidly disappearing in Suffolk, which is one of the worst areas in the country in terms of access. Toothless in Suffolk, a campaign group set up to push for access to an NHS dentist for everyone, described the news as “deeply upsetting and worrying.” The group shared a post from a patient on social media, which said that they were going to have buy pliers because they couldn’t afford to pay for private dental care at a cost of £10.33 to £19.59 per month.
Monica Kendall, 70, is another of the patients affected. She has been going to the practice for almost 50 years and said she was “very disappointed” by the news and worried about finding another NHS dentist in the area.
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