NHS pledges £300,000 to improve access to dental services in Market Drayton

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NHS England has pledged to increase funding for dental services in Market Drayton after a number of complaints from patients who have encountered difficulties finding practices that are accepting new patients.

Last year, Healthwatch Shropshire carried out a review into dental services in the region and Market Drayton was highlighted as an area where access was an issue. Anne Beavan is one of just many patients who have struggled to register with a dentist. After moving to the town, Anne spent six months trying to get a dental appointment. She was repeatedly told that all the NHS dental practices in town were full and in one case, she was advised that there was very little point in even joining the waiting list, as there were so many people on it. Public transport links are not brilliant in the town, and Anne said that it has been very difficult to try and find anywhere that is easy to get to in order to see a dentist.

Members of the board at Healthwatch Shropshire were contacted by the public, and they subsequently passed their findings onto NHS England’s Dental Commissioning Group.

In light of the problems, NHS England has agreed to increase funding by over £300,000, which will increase capacity in Shrewsbury and Market Drayton. In the most basic terms, the added investment will provide care for around 857 patients. Extra places will be made available at Bellstone Dental Practice, Poynton House Dental Surgery and Bayston Hill Dental Practice.

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