Please find attached correspondence from NHS England explaining some of the difficulties that patients may be experiencing in registering for alternative Dental services and what NHS England and dental practices’ approach to the current situation is.
I have contacted the practices on the list so I could best advise of the current ‘picture’ of provision. Due to the COVID 19 situation practices are still in the initial phases of re-opening to offer face to face treatment and only where patient and staff safety is assured and appropriate PPE is in place and staff are fully trained in its use. Those patients who are currently in a course of treatment with them will be given priority to complete any treatment delayed due to the pandemic where it is considered safe to do so. They are taking the names of those seeking a new dentist and placing them on a waiting list due to the limitations for any patient for a routine appointment.
Practices are unable to operate at full capacity due to these issues and the sanitisation of the surgeries and staff PPE changes in between patients slows the clinical time they can provide. Once practices become fully operational they will contact those patients on the lists to offer them an appointment. I appreciate that this is frustrating for anyone wishing to visit a dentist for routine check ups at this present time.
NHS England are operating Urgent Dental Centres (UDC) across the area for those patients who require urgent treatment, anyone ringing a dentist with an urgent dental problem can be triaged by a dental clinician to ascertain if they meet the criteria. If they do, they will be referred to their nearest UDC for immediate urgent treatment. All practices are updated with a ‘COVIDLIVE’ status weekly which includes guidance for “any and all patients” who contact them with the pathway for triage and referral into the UDCs available.