Toothless in Suffolk and patients from Saxon Dental Practice in Bury St Edmunds react to it privatising
A campaign group says the needs of a town’s growing population aren’t being met after a dental practice told customers it was privatising.
Toothless in Suffolk responded after it was confirmed yesterday that Saxon Dental Practice, in Bury St Edmunds, will no longer be an NHS practice, from March 31.
On the Bury Free Press Facebook page, patients with the practice shared their views after receiving letters, which said they would now need to pay a monthly price for check ups.
One mum, Rosie Abbott, said: “I literally nearly cried when I received my letters today. I don't know what I am going to do.”
Allison Curtis posted: “Absolutely shocking, disgusting treatment, was booked for a procedure in April now won't be happening unless I pay an extortionate monthly rate on top of treatment.”
Others living in Bury, spoke of the struggle they have had attempting to find a practice taking on NHS patients.
A spokesman for Toothless in Suffolk, said: “The needs of Bury’s growing population aren’t being met.
“Dental practices in the town aren’t offering any help because flexible commissioning isn’t an option being offered by the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB).”
Flexible commissioning is a model for tailoring NHS dental contracts to meet the needs of specific populations.
Toothless in Suffolk criticised the ICB bosses, saying: “It was only last month that the executive director for dentistry at the ICB, Peter Wightman, proudly told patients that he was seeing ‘green shoots of recovery’ with the provision of dentistry services across Suffolk.
“We've yet to see any evidence of this happening on the ground from what we see posted on our message boards and through our inbox.
“This practice (Saxon Dental) is one of countless others who have clearly given up any hope of being offered the kind of support that ICBs can offer through flexible commissioning.”
Toothless in Suffolk said it concluded last year that the ICB dental plan contained ‘considerable shortcomings’.
The campaign group accused the ICB of ignoring all of its suggestions for improving access to NHS dental services in Suffolk and criticised its ‘complete absence’ of any oral health needs assessment in the region.
Responding, Peter Wightman, executive director of dental, pharmacy, optometry and vaccination commissioning at the ICB, said he recognised the long standing challenge for new patients to get an appointment with a local NHS dentist.
He said: “Things are starting to change and improve but we are starting from a low base.
“We started a priority scheme in April 2024 for our most vulnerable patients and those with the highest immediate dental need, so they have access to urgent care if they are in need of treatment.
“To date, we have offered around 8,500 appointments across 19 dental practices.
“Our ICB is also engaging with Public Health on prevention including work with schools to highlight the importance of toothbrushing at an early age.
“Nothing is fixed but we are working hard to bring about improvement.
“We would be pleased to meet with Toothless to explain the improvements we’re making and to outline some of our future plans.”
What has been your experience of NHS dental care in Suffolk? Get in touch by emailing suzanne.day@iliffemedia.co.uk
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