Largs dental team clarifies future plans as patients fear losing NHS access
The team at Largs Dental Surgery has clarified plans for the future after patients expressed fears over losing access to NHS care.
Several patients had taken to social media to raise concerns over the future of the practice after receiving a letter from dentist, Alison McGregor. Ms McGregor wrote to patients recently explaining that she would be switching to private dentistry from September 2023. In her letter to patients, she said that the rising demand for NHS appointments since the pandemic had left her struggling to make sufficient time for patients. More people require complex and emergency care, which means that patients can’t access routine appointments.
At present, there is an 8-month wait for an appointment and Ms McGregor believes that will soon reach 12 months. She said that she has made the tough decision to go private. From September, she will only be seeing patients who have signed up to a membership plan. The plan is available from £16.50 per month and will help patients to budget for services throughout the year, the letter suggests.
After receiving the letter from the practice, many people commented on social media, with many fearing that they would lose their NHS dentist. Since the letter was sent, the practice has clarified the situation, confirming that Ms McGregor will be swapping to a private membership plan but the practice will continue to provide NHS services. Dentists, Isabel Saunderson and Sheryl Shankland, will offer NHS care as normal.
The changes will come into action on September 5th.
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