GAZETTE & HERALD: SPECIAL needs pupil JJ Angel has been removed from his dentist's patient list after an accident involving his father caused him to miss a check-up.

John and Kerena Angel, parents of the 16-year-old, told how they were left shocked and stunned when dentists at Hanlon, Cox & Gardner in New Road, Chippenham, told them they were removing the boy from their list for breaking company practice procedure.

The couple, from Richmond Road, Calne, say their repeated attempts to explain what led to the missed appointment were also ignored and that they were even threatened with the police, unless they left the surgery.

Mr Angel, 67, failed to take his son for his six-monthly check-up on February 16, after he was injured filling a skip at his home.

A washing machine he was putting into the skip slipped backwards, gashing his forehead, splitting his nose and leaving his fingers badly lacerated.

After treatment for his injuries at Chippenham Hospital's casualty unit, Mr Angel phoned the dental practice the following day, but they informed him that his son was off their list for missing appointments.

In a bid to make them reconsider, Mr Angel went to the practice to show them the extent of his injuries, but they did not relent.

"I was told that he's missed the appointment and that they had already sent the letter off to remove him from their list," said Mr Angel.

"They were very blunt about it and even though I was standing there with a huge plaster across my face, it didn't seem to make the blindest bit of notice to them."

Last Thursday, Mrs Angel, 48, also went to the practice, but said she was ordered off the premises and informed that if she didn't leave, the police would be called.

"We are absolutely stunned by what has happened," she said.

"There was no way my husband could have made the appointment and he went to prove that to them afterwards.

"JJ was waiting at home for his dad to take him, unaware of what had happened we didn't just forget the appointment far from it. My husband was bleeding heavily and still is not able to drive properly.

"We can't believe that we are being treated in this way."

JJ is severely dyslexic and boards at a specialist school in Bridgwater, Somerset.

"We have been patients of the practice for around seven years and they know that JJ's appointments are arranged to fit in with his school holidays," said Mrs Angel.

"He has good teeth and doesn't even have any fillings. It's not like we make a nuisance of ourselves."

Practice manager Carol Arnott said: "We cannot comment for fear of breaking patient confidentiality."

Gordon Miles from The Dental Practice Board for England & Wales said while individual cases could not be commented on, dentists could terminate a patient's 15-month standard NHS care arrangement period in certain cases.

He said: "To terminate a registration, the dentist must give three months notice in writing to the patient, otherwise, the dentist can ask the Primary Care Trust to terminate the arrangement."