Protests continue outside Bristol dental practice ahead of closing date
Protests continued outside a Bristol dental practice yesterday (Thursday 22nd June) as its closing date looms.
Patients have been protesting outside the Bupa Dental Care practice in St Pauls for weeks after the firm announced that it would be closing at the end of June. The move is part of a national shake-up, which will see clinics up and down the country shut their doors at the end of this month. Bupa is closing or merging 85 practices due to staffing issues and rising costs.
The St Pauls practice is expected to shut on June 30th, but protestors are not giving up. Groups have gathered every week outside of the clinic and the campaign recently received the backing of the former head of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn. Local councillors, including Cllr Cole, are participating in the protests while also working hard to try to stop the practice closing by liaising with the Integrated Care Board.
Patients at the practice were shocked to hear that St Pauls had been chosen as one of the 85 clinics. The practice is running very well and there are three dentists, all of whom have expressed their desire to stay. The closure will leave thousands without access to NHS dentistry, as there are currently very few NHS adult places available within the city.
The MP for Bristol West, Thangam Debbonaire, said that she had been informed that talks were ongoing to find a new provider for the St Pauls site.
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