MP backs campaign to improve NHS dental services in the Western Isles
A local MP has backed the campaign to improve NHS dental services in the Western Isles after residents complained about having to make a 60-mile round trip to see a dentist.
Angus MacNeil is calling for NHS Western Isles to act urgently after it was confirmed that the Lochboisdale Dental Clinic in South Uist will be shut down. As a result of the closure, patients on the island will now have to travel to Liniclate on the neighbouring isle of Benbecula. Mr MacNeil described the decision to close the surgery as “extremely disappointing” and said that making a 60-mile trip to the dentist will prove very difficult for those who struggle to use public transport.
Mr MacNeil said that local people are very angry and worried about the situation, and urged the NHS to listen to resident’s concerns and act accordingly.
The Lochboisdale practice will close to the public on the 13th April after the health board identified a “range of failings” during an environmental audit, which was conducted by the trust’s infection prevention and control team. The audit revealed that the practice was no longer fit for purpose, and representatives from the trust have suggested that patients should be treated at alternative premises.
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