Lerwick Dental Practice to deregister NHS patients
NHS Shetland has confirmed Lerwick Dental Practice will deregister NHS patients.
The health board said it had become aware of Lerwick Dental Practice’s decision to deregister some of its NHS patients.
“As independent dental practices operate as private businesses, they have the freedom to make decisions about service delivery, including whether they treat patients under NHS regulations and on registering or de-registering NHS patients, which may not involve prior consultation. Unfortunately, NHS Boards are unable to control these decisions,” the health board said in a statement.
NHS Shetland Public Dental Service (PDS) is currently working at almost 50 per cent less capacity than the pre-covid workforce levels, but over 70 per cent of the Shetland population registered with the service.
As a result, the PDS is only able to provide an emergency/non-routine service for the patients de-registered by Lerwick Dental Practice.
Ian Scott
it is an absolute disgrace .the delights of our so called National Health Service.The joys of the private market. Sadly, the NHS will be propelled into a public/private institution, Streeting will have New Labour up to its neck with Australian Banks and Canadian Pension Funds as partners, and there will be our NHS management fully on board. I recall a time when GP s made house calls.
DR I M TINKLER
It has nothing to do with New Labour. All happening under SNP-branded socialism with help from The Green Party… Health is a devolved issue, Mr Scott, I am surprised you were unaware of that!!
DR I M TINKLER
The SNP have been ruining NHS dentistry for years. In my day at Alan Owen’s, I well remember the then Secretary of Health, Nicola Sturgeon, promising GP dental services being moved to Montfield. That turned out to be a brazen lie, the rest is history!!
DR I M TINKLER
For those interested EU and SNP regulations were closing the St Olaf Street Dental practice for idiotic bureaucratic reasons, now absolutely discredited.