Last NHS Dentist in Cornwall town goes private
The last remaining NHS dental surgery in a Cornwall town is closing its doors to health service patients and is turning to private paying customers to help it survive.
The BBC’s News website reported that Saltash Dental Surgery, which has been in the town for 14 years, issued a letter to it’s patients saying it couldn’t continue with its NHS dental contract and will turn into a private clinic in November.
In response to the news, Cornwall’s Primary Care Trust (PCT) made comment that local inhabitants have other dental options and revealed plans for a new NHS practice which will open in the area next spring.
Bob Austin, the former town mayor, said it was crazy that the sixth largest town in Cornwall no longer had an NHS dentist and added that ten years ago the town had three or four dental practices.
Denplan issued a statement on behalf of Dr Anthony Coelho which said the surgery came to the “difficult decision” because it was concerned about the increasing challenge of maintaining continuity and quality of patient care.
Dr Coelho added that the PCT had refused to keep funding the practice for treatments to adults and children who are exempt from NHS dental charges.
Julia Cory, associate director of Cornwall PCT, claimed that it was already addressing the issue of Dental provision in Saltash.
She added that local people could turn to a Torpoint NHS dental surgery or can receive emergency dental treatment at the NHS St Barnabas Hospital in Saltash if they are in need.
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