Fears 'gap closing' between private and NHS dentistry
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A SHAKE-UP of NHS dentists in the Highlands sparked by a reduction in Scottish Government funding for the public dental service is "privatisation by the back door" according to a Highland MSP.
Rhoda Grant’s warning coincides with concerns from patients who are being transferred – without their consent – from dental surgeries run by NHS Highland to privately-run dentists.
The controversial arrangement allows NHS boards to ring-fence their dentists for patients with additional support needs. They hand the rest of their patients over to privately-run clinics that agree to deliver the NHS care.
However, Ms Grant fears patients are being switched over with no guarantees that they will get NHS treatment "into the future" with their new dentist – or that they will be taken back into the community dental service if their new dentist opts out of the NHS.
NHS Highland pledged to work with the Scottish Government to "ensure alternative access" in the event a private dentist de-registered patients from NHS treatment after transfer. But it could give no assurances patients will be taken back into the community dental service.
In Scotland dentists employed by their NHS board provide dental care under what is known as the Public Dental Service.
Other dentists, called general dental practitioners are independent contractors who can chose to provide NHS dental treatment.
Dentists in both brackets have the right to give a patient three months notice of their intention to de-register them.
The patient transfers have been rolling out in some areas, including Nairn where last month more than 3000 patients were transferred from the Nairn Town and County Hospital’s Public Dental Service clinic to a general dental practitioner at Glenridding Dental Practice, freeing up the hospital clinic’s two resident NHS dentists for some 1100 "vulnerable" clients.
It sparked concern the gap between a private and an NHS dentist is closing.
MSP Rhoda Grant said: "This is privatisation by the back door. People who waited for many years for an NHS dentist are now having their oral health put in jeopardy again. They receive no guarantees that they will get NHS treatment into the future with their new dentist or that they will be taken back into the community dental service if their new dentist opts out of the NHS."
Maree Todd MSP said it was disappointing to see politicians "scaremongering" about this change to dental services.
"Lots of folk in the Highlands already receive NHS dental care from private dentists and have done so for many years," she said.
"This change will ensure good access to NHS care and strengthen the service for those with complex needs."
A government spokesman said the move was about "the balance of provision between alternative models of delivering NHS dental care".
He said: "We are committed to ensuring patients who wish to have access to NHS dental services can do so and access to NHS dentistry has dramatically improved under this government. There will be no change in service level, or registration arrangements, for a patient who was previously seen by the public dental service and is now being treated by a high-street dentist providing NHS services."
NHS Highland said: "Public dental services refocusing on patients with additional needs has been mirrored by the reduction in the Scottish government’s funding for the public dental service and will deliver no savings to NHS Highland."
