Dentists turn patients away

NHS dental patients in Powys have been turned away - because their practice has spent its money for the year.

But Denticare in Newtown says nobody in pain has been turned away and necessary work will be done as soon as the new financial year starts in April.

And they say the lack of NHS dentists in the region for such a long time had been partly to blame for them now having to deal with a backlog of patients with problems.

Denticare spokeswoman Jacquie Manners, said: "The provision of NHS dental care, made possible by Denticare in Newtown, has met with a huge demand from thousands who now have access to treatment - some of them for the first time in years.

"The success of this has generated yet more demand as people become more conscious of the importance of preventative dental health care and making regular visits to the dentist.

"It is true we have to work within a contractual budget agreed with the Local Health Board and that, due to enormous demand, we have exhausted most of that budget for this financial year. Happily, we are currently in helpful talks with the LHB about how best we can meet the demands in the future.

"A small number of patients have had non-urgent work put back until the new financial year - however any requiring emergency treatment are being seen immediately."

She added: "We did, however, inherit a backlog of dental care needs which has simply taken a considerable time to work through."

One patient who turned up for an appointment was told the planned work on her teeth would not be done until after April 1, when the new financial year starts.

The woman from Welshpool, who declined to be named, said: "It was annoying because I had made a special journey to Newtown to see the dentist, though they did ask if I was in pain."

A Powys LHB spokesman said today: "Under the new dental contact, which is nationally negotiated, a sum of money is allocated to dental practices who are given a target level of treatment they must undertake during the year.

Once they have reached this target level they are not obliged then to undertake additional work."

By Deborah Knox