Appeal over dentist losing 50-year NHS contract

A dental practice that had its NHS contract terminated after 50 years is mounting an appeal for it to be reinstated.

Waltham Dentist Practice, near Grimsby, said it was unable to meet targets due to "lockdown, cancellations and a shortage of available staff in our area", sparking the removal of its NHS dental contract.

An NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) said the decision was not taken lightly and added “it would not be appropriate to go into detail”.

The MP for Brigg and Immingham, Martin Vickers, said he had "made representations to the ICB to reconsider".

Posting on social media earlier this month, Waltham Dentist Practice said the NHS had terminated its deal in a bid to "clawback" payments it received from NHS England after it could not meet specific targets.

It said losing the contract had made it "impossible for us to continue providing NHS dentistry and instead forcing us to go fully private to preserve jobs for our staff and preserve access to dental care for our patients".

"Even though we are now private, we have set our prices to be as affordable as possible while allowing us to continue paying our staff, labs and bills."

The practice said check-up fees would "remain the same as it was on the NHS" and added: "If the NHS commissioning team change their mind and keep our contracts in place, we will return to NHS dentistry immediately."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes MP Melanie Onn has tabled a written question in Parliament about the contract following serious concerns from “quite a lot of constituents”.

She has written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting asking why the contract was withdrawn and its potential impact.

Mandy Jones, assistant manager of Waltham Dentist Practice, has launched a petition.

She confirmed the practice was appealing the NHS decision and was in contact with the British Dental Association.

“We’re trying to get everything together for our appeal to send across,” she said.

Mr Vickers, who visited the dentist firm on Friday, said: “It is quite clear that they want to continue as an NHS dental practice and the ICB should be putting the interests of patients first and redoubling their efforts to resolve the contractual issues whilst still allowing the practice to provide, at the very least, emergency treatment.”

Humber and North Yorkshire ICB, which made the decision, said: “Given the national and regional shortage of NHS dentistry, we appreciate the impact this decision will have on patients.

"We are engaging with other dental practices in the area to find solutions for NHS patients to access treatment with alternative providers. Patients will be informed as soon as details are confirmed.”

It urged anyone needing urgent dental treatment to contact NHS 111.

The Department of Health and Social Care said the government was "committed to rebuilding NHS dentistry, but it will take time" and added it would create an "extra 700,000 urgent dentistry appointments to help those who need it most".

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