Save Bridlington Hospital

Thousands of patients will be left without dental care after two more dentists quit the NHS.

William Lundie and Alan Jones are washing their hands of the NHS because of controversial new dental contracts.

The move will leave more than 2,000 patients in Hornsea without free dental care.

Their departure means patients with both practices - two of the town's three - will now have to pay if they want dental treatment as there are no other NHS dentists accepting patients anywhere in the East Riding.

Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart said today: "This is a desperate situation. Anywhere that's isolated, like Hornsea, will suffer more as a result of losing NHS dentists.

"The elderly, people without cars and those on a low income will suffer most."

Hornsea's dental access Centre in Cliff Road said today it would treat emergency cases, but would not be able to accept any more patients for routine treatment.

The access Centre is run by one part-time dentist, who works there two days a week.

The two departing dentists said they were disappointed to have to quit the NHS. They are among several dentists expected to leave between now and April 1, when the new contracts come into force.

They stipulate fixed incomes and workloads for dentists, which many claim will leave them struggling financially.

Mr Lundie, whose practice is in Newbegin, said: "The Government has imposed the contract without any discussions. It then blames us for walking away, but we don't feel we have a choice. Doctors and dentists used to be paid the same, but there is a huge difference now, with dentists coming off far worse.

"It was a difficult decision and I've got a lot of patients that can't afford to see me privately, but dentists still have businesses to run and we need to have enough money coming in to keep them afloat."

Mr Lundie will not be seeing the children of private patients on the NHS.

"I will be washing my hands of the NHS entirely," he said. "I don't want anything to do with it any more."

Alan Jones, whose practice is also in Newbegin, has worked in the town for 30 years. He said: "The Government expects us to treat more patients, doing more complex treatments and different types of work for less money."

Mr Jones said he will still treat children on the NHS on the condition their parent is registered as a private patient. He will carry out free examinations only for children, but the free service will be subsidized by other patients, who will ultimately pay more to cover the cost.

The two practices have a combined list of about 2,200 NHS patients - a third of Hornsea's 6,487 registered NHS dental patients.

There are no NHS dentists anywhere in Hull taking on new patients. In the East Riding, the new practices that opened this month in Beverley and Driffield are already full to capacity.

A spokesman for East Yorkshire Primary Care Trust said the new practices will not be accepting any new clients until later this year. Mick Pilling....Say's Watch out Bridlington? We could be next! What is to be done with the Failing NHS as Bureaucracy Gobbles up all our money, destined for the front-line...

www.dh.gov.uk - Department of Health

www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk - Find an NHS dentist

DENTAL CRISIS DEEPENS
14 March 2006

Children needing specialist dental work could face a wait of up to two years for treatment as East Yorkshire's dental crisis deepens.

There are only two NHS specialists serving the whole of Hull and the East Riding who can carry out complex dental work such as fitting braces.

One of them is being forced to dramatically scale back the amount of work she does.

Because of changes to dental contracts which come in on April 1, Dr Cherie Davies will only be able to treat about 250 patients each year, instead of her current rate of more than 500.

Waiting lists for children needing braces are set to spiral.

From April, primary care trusts (PCT's) will take over funding dentistry from the Government and lack of funds for East Yorkshire means Dr Davies' workload has been capped.

Dr Davies, of The Specialist Orthodontic Practice in Anlaby Road, west Hull, already has more than 1,000 children from Hull and the East Riding waiting for treatment. She has now closed her list to new patients after writing to every dentist in the area asking them to stop any more referrals. The majority of her patients are aged from nine to 18.

The move is the latest blow to dental treatment in the region after every NHS dentist closed their books to new patients earlier this year.

Dr Davies is the only orthodontist outside Hull Royal Infirmary providing specialist treatment on the NHS.

There is just one consultant at the hospital after a second left the trust more than two years ago and was not replaced.

The Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust today said it was recruiting for a specialist registrar to help share the workload.

There are between 2,500 and 4,000 children across East Yorkshire needing specialist dental treatment each year.

Dr Davies today said she was "devastated" by the new contract, which means a loss of earnings for her of £8,000 each month.

Dr Davies' current waiting list is already eight to nine months. She said she would reopen her list at some point in the future, but new patients would then face a wait of up to two years for treatment.

It is thought 50 to 60 per cent of children aged nine to 18 need orthodontic treatment.

Dr Davies said many parents will feel forced to pay for private treatment as they will not be willing to wait.

She said: "I have about 800 new patients I have not seen yet on my waiting list and another 200 who are ready for treatment. Some of those have been waiting almost a year.

"The PCT is unable to give any more funding for me to see more patients. I am devastated by this."

She plans to increase the amount of private work she does, currently about three per cent of the workload, to keep her business afloat.

Dr Geoffrey Pearson, from the East Yorkshire Public and Patient Involvement Forum, said: "We urge the trust to recruit a second orthodontist. Waiting lists for this treatment are unacceptable."

A spokesman for West Hull PCT said: "The trust acknowledges the problems in relation to orthodontic services and a review into ways these problems can be alleviated has begun."

www.bos.org.uk - British Orthodontic Society

www.westhullpct.nhs.uk - West Hull PCT

Mick Pilling writes:

This is 2006 the NHS as never suffered as much since it was set up to help all; when will someone in the NHS take responsibility and be accountable for it's state. People, patients & children cannot be treated in this way; pain and bad toothache can be bad at the best of times with little relief unless you have access to dental facilities..........so come-on Government and PCT's get your finger out and do what you are paid for!

2,000 PATIENTS HIT AS DENTISTS QUIT
Thousands of patients will be left without dental care after two more dentists quit the NHS. William Lundie and Alan Jones are washing their hands of the NHS because of controversial new dental contracts. The move will leave more than 2,000 patients in Hornsea without free dental care. Their departure means patients with both practices - two of the town's three - will now have to pay if they want dental treatment as there are no other NHS dentists accepting patients anywhere in the East Riding. Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart said today: "This is a desperate situation. Anywhere that's isolated, like Hornsea, will suffer more as a result of losing NHS dentists. "The elderly, people without cars and those on a low income will suffer most." Hornsea's dental access Centre in Cliff Road said today it would treat emergency cases, but would not be able to accept any more patients for routine treatment. The access Centre is run by one part-time dentist, who works there two days a week. The two departing dentists said they were disappointed to have to quit the NHS. They are among several dentists expected to leave between now and April 1, when the new contracts come into force. They stipulate fixed incomes and workloads for dentists, which many claim will leave them struggling financially. Mr Lundie, whose practice is in Newbegin, said: "The Government has imposed the contract without any discussions. It then blames us for walking away, but we don't feel we have a choice. Doctors and dentists used to be paid the same, but there is a huge difference now, with dentists coming off far worse. "It was a difficult decision and I've got a lot of patients that can't afford to see me privately, but dentists still have businesses to run and we need to have enough money coming in to keep them afloat." Mr Lundie will not be seeing the children of private patients on the NHS. "I will be washing my hands of the NHS entirely," he said. "I don't want anything to do with it any more." Alan Jones, whose practice is also in Newbegin, has worked in the town for 30 years. He said: "The Government expects us to treat more patients, doing more complex treatments and different types of work for less money." Mr Jones said he will still treat children on the NHS on the condition their parent is registered as a private patient. He will carry out free examinations only for children, but the free service will be subsidized by other patients, who will ultimately pay more to cover the cost. The two practices have a combined list of about 2,200 NHS patients - a third of Hornsea's 6,487 registered NHS dental patients. There are no NHS dentists anywhere in Hull taking on new patients. In the East Riding, the new practices that opened this month in Beverley and Driffield are already full to capacity. A spokesman for East Yorkshire Primary Care Trust said the new practices will not be accepting any new clients until later this year. Mick Pilling....Say's Watch out Bridlington? We could be next! What is to be done with the Failing NHS as Bureaucracy Gobbles up all our money, destined for the front-line... www.dh.gov.uk - Department of Health www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk - Find an NHS dentist DENTAL CRISIS DEEPENS 14 March 2006 Children needing specialist dental work could face a wait of up to two years for treatment as East Yorkshire's dental crisis deepens. There are only two NHS specialists serving the whole of Hull and the East Riding who can carry out complex dental work such as fitting braces. One of them is being forced to dramatically scale back the amount of work she does. Because of changes to dental contracts which come in on April 1, Dr Cherie Davies will only be able to treat about 250 patients each year, instead of her current rate of more than 500. Waiting lists for children needing braces are set to spiral. From April, primary care trusts (PCT's) will take over funding dentistry from the Government and lack of funds for East Yorkshire means Dr Davies' workload has been capped. Dr Davies, of The Specialist Orthodontic Practice in Anlaby Road, west Hull, already has more than 1,000 children from Hull and the East Riding waiting for treatment. She has now closed her list to new patients after writing to every dentist in the area asking them to stop any more referrals. The majority of her patients are aged from nine to 18. The move is the latest blow to dental treatment in the region after every NHS dentist closed their books to new patients earlier this year. Dr Davies is the only orthodontist outside Hull Royal Infirmary providing specialist treatment on the NHS. There is just one consultant at the hospital after a second left the trust more than two years ago and was not replaced. The Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust today said it was recruiting for a specialist registrar to help share the workload. There are between 2,500 and 4,000 children across East Yorkshire needing specialist dental treatment each year. Dr Davies today said she was "devastated" by the new contract, which means a loss of earnings for her of £8,000 each month. Dr Davies' current waiting list is already eight to nine months. She said she would reopen her list at some point in the future, but new patients would then face a wait of up to two years for treatment. It is thought 50 to 60 per cent of children aged nine to 18 need orthodontic treatment. Dr Davies said many parents will feel forced to pay for private treatment as they will not be willing to wait. She said: "I have about 800 new patients I have not seen yet on my waiting list and another 200 who are ready for treatment. Some of those have been waiting almost a year. "The PCT is unable to give any more funding for me to see more patients. I am devastated by this." She plans to increase the amount of private work she does, currently about three per cent of the workload, to keep her business afloat. Dr Geoffrey Pearson, from the East Yorkshire Public and Patient Involvement Forum, said: "We urge the trust to recruit a second orthodontist. Waiting lists for this treatment are unacceptable." A spokesman for West Hull PCT said: "The trust acknowledges the problems in relation to orthodontic services and a review into ways these problems can be alleviated has begun." www.bos.org.uk - British Orthodontic Society www.westhullpct.nhs.uk - West Hull PCT Mick Pilling writes: This is 2006 the NHS as never suffered as much since it was set up to help all; when will someone in the NHS take responsibility and be accountable for it's state. People, patients & children cannot be treated in this way; pain and bad toothache can be bad at the best of times with little relief unless you have access to dental facilities..........so come-on Government and PCT's get your finger out and do what you are paid for!

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