Trust gets six new NHS dentists

1:47pm Thursday 31st January 2008

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Six new NHS dentists have been signed up to join practices in Chorley, Whittle-le-Woods, Leyland, Buckshaw Village and the Preston areas.

It follows a five-month tender by Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust, which covers NHS services in Chorley and South Ribble, to attract more dentists to the area and to encourage existing local dentists to provide additional services.

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Doreen Hounslea, Director of Commissioning and Community Engagement at the PCT said: "We are delighted to be able to make this announcement. We have purchased additional dental activity to improve the oral health of local people."

Mark Wilkinson, Chief Executive added: "We know that patients have, in some areas, on occasions, struggled to find an NHS dentist.

"The issue has been created by a mixture of a national shortage of dentists and existing dental practices deciding to stop providing NHS dental services as a result of the new dental contract.

"We have worked very hard to improve this situation.

"We needed to make sure that we were buying the right services for the right areas and this took a little while to analyse.

"I am happy to say that very soon the PCT should be in a position to offer people who are registered on the database, access to an NHS dentist."

Lindsay Hoyle, MP for Chorley, revealed he has had "numerous" letters from constituents concerned about not having a local NHS dentist.

Mr Hoyle said: "There has been a shortage and I have regularly spoken to the PCT on what they have been doing to resolve the issue.

"I am very pleased that we can now say that the Chorley area will be getting the equivalent of almost four new dentists."