Grampian calls on private support
NHS Grampian is to turn to the private sector to help tackle its dental care shortage.
Private dentist The Aberdeen Clinic (TAC) will be paid more than £50,000 over the next six months to help NHS Grampian clear a year-long appointment backlog. The longest waits are in the oral and maxillofacial surgery department, with patients waiting around 69 weeks for tooth removal.
The Cults-based TAC is expected to treat around 1000 patients before April, around 70% of which will require extractions. To help clear the backlog, TAC staff will be granted access to NHS assessment rooms and facilities for operating under general anaesthetic. The company will also run weekend clinics and is to receive £503,750 to support provision.
An NHS Grampian spokeswoman said the arrangement would be a temporary one until the board could increase capacity to perform treatment in-house over the longer-term.
Health campaigners in the area welcomed the announcement but raised questions over why the situation had been allowed to deteriorate.
Professor Jamie Weir, spokesman for NHS Grampian patient group Pact, said the news highlighted severe under-resourcing in the North East of Scotland.
North-East MSP for Labour, Lewis Macdonald questioned why the money was not being invested on training and staff in the NHS.
Join this Discussion