Wakefield emergency dental service saved at the last minute
An emergency dental service has been saved at the last minute, after the provider made a dramatic U-turn under pressure from local councillors.
Urgent treatment has been provided by Local Care Direct from a base at Newstead House for several years, but the future of the out-of-hours service was put into doubt after the company was taken over by Night Dental. Patients were informed that they would have to travel to Leeds or Huddersfield for emergency treatment from April, but at the last minute, the future of the out-of-hours service in Wakefield has been secured.
Following complaints from Wakefield Council’s health scrutiny committee, including a personal plea from chair, Betty Rhodes, it has been confirmed that weekend and evening services will continue to be available at Newstead House. Councillor Rhodes revealed that the existing service will run beyond April, and that its opening hours will actually increase in the coming months.
Speaking at a committee meeting, Councillor Rhodes said that it was crucial that patients in Wakefield had access to urgent dental services, and suggested that it was unrealistic and unfair to expect patients who need emergency treatment to travel to Leeds or Huddersfield to get an appointment. The news that the service will not only continue, but also operate during extended opening hours, is incredibly positive for local residents and the town as a whole. The out-of-hours service is designed to aid patients who experience severe dental pain or sustain dental injuries outside of normal practice opening hours.
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