West Belfast dental practice closure labelled ‘catastrophic’
The closure of a dental practice in West Belfast will be ‘catastrophic’ for the local community, according to a local MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly).
Grosvenor Dental Care will close in October, leaving approximately 5,000 patients without a dentist. The practice, which is based on Grosvenor Road, provides dental care for hundreds of low-income families and vulnerable people, Pat Sheehan MLA said. Following the news, Mr Sheehan, from Sinn Fein, said that he had sought urgent talks with the Belfast Trust and the Department of Health to discuss the closure.
Mr Sheehan added that people have a basic right to access dental care and explained that losing the practice would compound an already difficult situation, with the community already facing significant health challenges.
Gerry Carroll, from People Before Profit, said that staff and patients at the practice are devastated and added that dental organisations have warned of the demise of affordable, accessible dentistry for many years.
Across Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK, NHS practices are closing or switching to private dental services at an alarming pace. The British Dental Association estimated that around 3,000 dentists left the NHS between 2020 and 2023 and this number is likely to grow. Dentists have cited rising costs, a loss of income in real terms, stress and contract issues as the main causes of stopping NHS work.
Dr Michael Davidson, chief clinical officer at Portman Dental Care, which manages Grosvenor Dental Practice, said that a review of commercial viability had left the team with no choice but to stop providing treatment for patients.
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