Devon dental practice ending 'loss-making' NHS service

The practice said it had no alternative but to hand back the NHS contract

A dental practice in Devon has announced it is ending its NHS service at the end of October.

Whitehall Dental Practice in South Molton said it had explored all available options to carry on providing NHS services but they had all been exhausted.

A statement on the practice's website said it had no alternative but to hand back the contract.

North Devon MP Selaine Saxby said it was "extremely disappointing".

The Conservative MP said: "I understand that they have not done this lightly and, despite improvements to the NHS contract, this clearly shows that government has yet to get this right."

Ms Saxby said the NHS dental budget only covered about 30% of the population, but "this 30% is often those who are in the greatest need".

The MP said she believed some change was happening, but more helped was needed now.

'Massive community impact'

Whitehall Dental Practice said it had been able to offer both NHS and private services to patients until now.

However, a recent review of the commercial viability of the practice concluded that the costs of providing NHS treatment outstripped the payments received from the NHS.

The practice said the provision of "loss-making, underfunded NHS dental care" could no longer be sustained.

In a statement, the dental team said recruitment of clinicians who wanted to carry out NHS care was also extremely challenging and had impacted the ability to deliver NHS services.

Dr Catherine Tannahill, from the practice, said: "We do not underestimate the impact of this decision on NHS patients and the challenges they face in securing the care they need and deserve within the current system."

Dr Tannahill said NHS patients who were currently receiving a course of treatment would have them completed in advance of the NHS contract ending.

Healthwatch Devon said it was "generally concerned about the lack of NHS dentists" and the loss of one had "a massive impact on the community".

It said: "We believe it is storing up a lot of problems for the future, especially for young children."

The practice is due to stop providing NHS services on 31 October 2023.