Lincolnshire patient slams dental system after driving 80 miles for a filling
A patient from Lincolnshire has slammed the dental system after driving 80 miles to get an appointment for a filling.
Stephen Palmer, 68, from Mablethorpe, described the situation as an “absolute joke” after making a 160-mile round trip to see a dentist in Nottingham. Mr Palmer, who has cancer, resorted to contacting practices in other counties after being unable to find any dentists in Lincolnshire offering appointments for NHS patients. After calling Healthwatch, Mr Palmer was informed that he would be able to get an appointment at Seven Dental in Nottingham.
Speaking about his experience, Mr Palmer said that it was incredibly disappointing that patients are unable to access NHS dental services and described the NHS system as “completely broken.” Access to dentistry has been poor for several years in Mablethorpe, he added, and the problem is now getting worse across the country.
Mr Palmer has experienced ongoing dental issues since the start of the pandemic and said that being unable to see a dentist during lockdowns had contributed to “painful episodes,” which he got through by taking strong painkillers.
A spokesperson for NHS England said that they were sorry to hear about Mr Palmer’s difficulties and stressed that NHS England is working with local providers to try to increase capacity in Lincolnshire. Many practices are struggling to cope with the demand for appointments due to backlogs created by losing a year’s worth of appointments during the pandemic and a surge in the number of patients coming forward for treatment in the last 12 months.
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