Swindon dental practice goes private
A dental practice in Swindon has stopped NHS dental services, leaving patients facing difficulties finding a new dentist.
Dan Lancaster, a father of two, is one of hundreds of patients affected by the news. Mr Lancaster received an email from Clyde House earlier this month, stating that the NHS appointments for his two sons had been cancelled. He was informed that the practice was no longer offering NHS services and advised to pay for private care if he wished to remain on the list.
Mr Lancaster said that he was shocked and disappointed to receive the email, as he has been taking his sons regularly for five years. Thankfully, he has managed to find a local practice that is still providing NHS services, but suggested that many other parents wouldn’t be so lucky. There is a shortage of NHS places for children and adults in Swindon, he added, and it has become increasingly difficult to get appointments. Although he managed to find a dentist for his children, Mr Lancaster hasn’t been able to find a practice for himself for several years and has only recently been able to afford private treatment.
The owners of Clyde House confirmed that the practice was switching to private services from the end of January, citing the NHS dental contract as the primary contributory cause. Director, Dr Keith Garber, said that the team had not taken the decision to stop NHS services lightly after providing treatment for patients for twenty years. He described the NHS system as “failed” and said that it puts “government targets ahead of patient care.”
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