NHS dental services scrapped at major Wiltshire practice

Hathaway Dental Practice, a Dr Michael Frain Ltd branch in Chippenham, announced in a letter to patients that it would not be providing NHS care from Friday, November 1 onwards.

This comes amidst the “imminent departure” of four dentists whom the practice has been unable to replace with NHS practitioners.

Bosses say they have requested to continue providing NHS care for children under 16 but were told they are “unlikely” to be allowed without seeing adults.

The practice says it will offer private care only to maintain its “high standards” in the face of “increasing challenges”.

READ MORE: Patients in 'limbo' as major dental practice axes NHS appointments

Hathaway Medical Centre in Chippenham (Image: Newsquest)

Patients have since taken to Facebook to vent their frustration at the news and among them was town councillor Matthew Short, who says residents have been “dumped” with nowhere to go.

He added: “I've contacted the integrated care board and they advised going out of county.

“I've emailed Hathaway on behalf of residents asking them to reconsider this decision and work with our MP.

“The integrated care board said that though the NHS dentistry site directs you there, as they have a duty of care, they have no list and advise calling around.

“They said 'NHS dentistry is in crisis', which of course we all know.

“So effectively one of the largest providers in Chippenham has dumped all their NHS patients including children and there is nowhere obvious to go.”

Other patients described the decision as “disgusting” and labelled Chippenham a “dead zone for NHS dental care.”

Laura Coleman added: “I’ve been desperately trying to find a dentist taking on NHS patients and not found one in a few yeas, all waiting lists are full.”

Hathaway Medical Centre in Chippenham (Image: Newsquest)

Both patients and parents or guardians of children registered with the practice have received letters outlining the costs of dental services moving forward.

This includes Denplan payment plans of between £13 and £19.70 per month for adults and £7.60 per month for children.

Alternatively, patients can visit the centre on a “pay-as-you-go” basis.

The Dr Michael Frain Ltd website lists routine exams at £43.50 for adults while an emergency appointment will cost £85.

Children under the age of six will be seen for free provided a parent or guardian is a Denplan member.

The practice's director, Dr Andrew Halmer, said his team had been working for years under a contract described as “unfit for purpose” by the Parliamentary Health Committee.

This has reportedly created “significant challenges” when trying to staff the practice.

Hathaway Medical Centre in Chippenham (Image: Newsquest)

He said: “We have been dedicated to providing NHS dental care at Hathaway Dental Practice for over 14 years, and this decision has been incredibly difficult for us.

“We have faced significant challenges in recruiting and retaining team members.

“Key positions have remained vacant and recently, we have been unable to attract any dentists willing to work under the NHS contract.”

Dr Halmer says changes to NHS dental contracts promised by the new Labour government will not come soon enough to allow the practice to continue viably offering NHS services.

He added: “Despite the election of a new government promising changes to the NHS dental contract, these changes will come too late to sustain our provision of NHS dental services at this practice.

“We deeply regret the impact this will have on our patients and the community but hope they will understand that, in order to provide dental services at Hathaway Dental Practice, we couldn't carry on under the current system.”

The practice still hopes to provide the orthodontic part of its contract but is awaiting a decision from the Integrated Health Board.

It has also committed to completing any courses of NHS treatment by November 1.