Patients in Ripon facing 50-mile journey to the dentist after Bupa practice closure
Patients in Ripon, North Yorkshire, could be facing 50-mile journeys to see a dentist when the town’s Bupa Dental Care practice closes in June, according to local councillors.
Bupa Dental Care announced that it was closing, merging or selling more than 80 practices across the UK recently, with the majority expected to shut in the summer. Ripon’s Finkle Street practice is one of those affected. The company has confirmed that it will not be operating services at the surgery from June.
The news means that there are currently no NHS dental practices accepting new NHS adult patients in the town or the surrounding area. Bupa Dental Care will be handing the NHS contract back to local commissioners, who will try to make alternative arrangements.
Local councillors have expressed concerns over access to dental services in the area, suggesting that patients will have to travel long distances or pay for private dentistry, which is not a viable option for many due to cost.
Cllr Peter Horton, said that currently, the closest practices that have NHS places available are located as far away as York and Guiseley, meaning that patients face a 50-mile round trip for a check-up. Mr Horton also warned that the situation would get worse, as the town is expanding and the population is growing at a time when NHS dentist numbers are falling nationally.
A BBC investigation revealed that around 90% of UK practices had no new adult NHS patient places available in summer 2022.
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