Plans revealed for new dental practice in Oswestry
NHS England representatives have revealed plans to open a new dental practice in Oswestry after a report confirmed that the town is one of the worst affected by access issues in Shropshire.
Research conducted by Healthwatch Shropshire showed that over 90% of people who tried to get a routine dental appointment in the county had experienced problems. The findings suggest that access is poor across the region but some areas, including Oswestry and Market Drayton, have a particularly bad record.
The report also indicated that patients are struggling to find dentists as a result of a lack of information or updates about NHS places online.
There is also widespread confusion about registration, with many patients shocked to find out they had been removed from lists due to not attending appointments in the last 2 years. Unlike GP practices, patients are not technically registered with dental practices, but this information is not familiar to most people.
In light of the findings of the Healthwatch Shropshire report and communications between local and regional NHS bodies, it is hoped that a new practice will open in Oswestry in the coming months.
There is currently a shortage of NHS dental places and this is contributing to increased pressure on services and longer waiting times for patients. The situation has also been made worse by Covid-19 restrictions, which limit capacity. Most NHS clinics are currently operating at around 60% of pre-pandemic capacities.
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