Moray NHS dental access: "A horror story for the entire region"
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AROUND 3000 people in Moray are currently unable to register with a dentist.
Following on from reports that more than 5000 Elgin patients have lost access to dental care in the last two years, information on the NHS Grampian website suggests that none of these patients can currently register with another dentist in Moray.
READ MORE: More than 5000 patients de-registered by Elgin dentists
Currently, the only dentist in Moray accepting new NHS patients is Lossiemouth Dental Practice - but their services are limited to children under 12 who live in the IV31 postcode area.
As a result, adults in Moray are left with limited options, with the closest available dentist 50 miles away Inverurie.
Moray Council Labour Group Leader, Councillor Sandy Keith said: "Access to dentists in Moray has been a problem for 15 years. In 2006, when I was first elected onto the council, this issue was already present and widely acknowledged.
"The problem hasn't gone away, and it reflects a lack of action from our local and national politicians. The departure of a few dentists and the resulting de-registrations shows there is lack of robustness in the system. It seems that there has been a lack of long-term workforce planning, and they have taken their eye off the ball which has caused the current situation."
"While I am glad that the youngsters in Lossiemouth have access to a dentist, it is disheartening they are now the only people that can get access to an NHS dentist in Moray. The statistics are alarming, particularly for Elgin, but it is a horror story for the entire Moray region.
People looking to register with a dentist in Moray can find information on available practices online at: https://www.nhsgrampian.org/service-hub/dental-services/dental-practice-registration-availability/
Moray MSP Richard Lochhead said: "While we know that 95% of people in Scotland are registered with an NHS dentist, the recent challenges are well documented and I’m only too well aware of the challenge some people in Moray have had in accessing NHS services.
“I’ve been in regular contact with NHS Grampian and the Scottish Government about the issues we’ve experienced locally, including the situation at Bishopmill Dental Practice where patients were de-registered due to a staffing shortages.
“The Scottish Government has expanded grant funding dentists looking to set up new practices, or extend existing practices, and has made enhanced recruitment and retention allowances available to help address some of these problems. However, NHS Grampian has been clear that Brexit has had an impact.
“The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring people can access NHS dental services and as local MSP I will continue to do all I can to support any constituents who are having trouble accessing services.”
