NHS labelled 'cavalier' over dentist cutbacks in Barnard Castle

Councillors are continuing to press health bosses for answers about the withdrawal of dental services in Barnard Castle after they failed to turn up to an important meeting.
Durham County Council’s health scrutiny committee had called for a representative from NHS England, Cumbria and the North East to come before its members at County Hall.
Dental commissioning manager Pauline Fletcher was unable to attend but councillors remain determined to get to the bottom of the “disingenuous” decision.
Up until March 2014, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust operated a mobile dental service in Middleton-in-Teesdale for two sessions a week, as well as one session a week in Bishop Auckland.
Due to difficulties in recruiting staff and the vehicle no longer being fit for purpose, the service ceased with a total of 245 patients enrolled.
Alternative provision began at the Richardson Hospital, in Barnard Castle, for those affected. A service for specialist dental patients was also introduced.
Over the past two years patient numbers have dropped from 158 to 58 – as of the end of November last year.
Records show that in 2015-16, 128 people benefitted from the service but since then the numbers have more than halved.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Richard Bell said: “The fall in numbers is probably connected with the fact that they have written to people to say they are withdrawing the service. It is disingenuous to say the least. I do find it unsatisfactory that they have failed to pitch up.”
Health officials believe that people would still be able to access local dental treatment because there are nine other NHS dental practices operating in the area.
Castle Dental Practice is the only one in Teesdale but it is recruiting new NHS patients. Other suggested practices are as far away as Stanhope and Coundon.
Cllr Bell said: “Are we really saying that Crook or Shildon is a local dental practice if you live in upper Teesdale? What about the transport links and all of that?”
Cllr Bell also said accessibility was limited at Castle Dental Practice, in Barnard Castle, due to the steps at the front entrance.
He added: “I find this a very cavalier way to reorganise services. They have written to people to tell them to withdraw. They have done it and left people in the lurch.”
Discussions are on-going with health officials regarding the future viability of the general dental service provision at the community hospital.
A report from NHS England, Cumbria and the North East said that “there would be clear benefits to patients in transferring to the alternative general dental practices in terms of extended access times and availability of dentists”.
While there are no plans to change the current provision of dental services for patients with special needs, NHS England have said they will work with the foundation trust, which run Richardson Hospital, to make sure patients are signposted to alternative local NHS dental services if the decision is made to cease the service.
The committee agreed to invite Ms Fletcher along to its next meeting, which has been scheduled for Friday, January 20.