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09
Sept 2023
Local politicians raise concern over lack of Harrogate and Knaresborough NHS dentistry
Local politicians have raised concern over a lack of access to NHS dentistry in Harrogate and Knaresborough.
Both Conservative MP, Andrew Jones, and Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said the issue had been raised with them multiple times.
It comes as this week, the Stray Ferret reported that another dentist on Harrogate's King’s Road will go “membership only” once its NHS contract runs out in December.
Chatsworth House Dental Clinic told patients it will now only take appointments from those as part of its membership scheme.
In a letter seen by the Stray Ferret, it said it planned to cut its patient list by 70% as part of the plan — which it said would “reduce appointment waiting times” and “improve prevention of dental disease and decay”.
Chatsworth House Dental Clinic on King's Road.
Gail Hindson, a patient who received a letter from the dentist, questioned why patients would require longer appointments.
She said:
Concerns over lack of access
The decision by Chatsworth House Dental Clinic raised concern over the the lack of access to NHS dentistry in Harrogate and Knaresborough.
NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, which replaced North Yorkshire CCG in April, is responsible for the commissioning of dental care in the district.
A review of NHS dentistry published in August 2021 found there was just one NHS dentist practice per 10,000 people in the Harrogate district.
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, has taken concerns over the lack of NHS dentists to the ICB.
He said the organisation should begin expanding NHS dental provision in Harrogate and Knaresborough.
Mr Jones said:
Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said the issue was one that “kept coming up on the doorstep”.
He added people had also told the local party about their concerns at accessing an NHS dentist appointment.
Mr Gordon said:
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