Walsall hopes to cut NHS waiting lists by expansion

The dental practice on Hillary Street in Walsall has submitted plans to convert its garage into an extra surgery

A dentist in Walsall is hoping to cut waiting lists and tackle the demand for services by expanding its practice.

Hillary Street Dental Surgery wants to convert its disused garage into an extra surgery room for a third dentist.

It would enable the practice to alleviate the current workload, the planning application said. The practice deals with 70 appointments per day.

A BBC investigation revealed nine in 10 NHS dental practices across the UK were not accepting new adult patients.

The expansion would make way for a wider range of services and options, including orthodontic treatments, to be made available, as well as reducing current waiting times, the application said.

"The NHS as a whole is under huge pressure particularly following the pandemic. NHS dental services are significantly under pressure with the average waiting time for braces over two years," it said.

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Walsall Council planning officers are expected to make a decision on the proposal next month.