Chatsworth House Dental Centre Archives

Harrogate NHS dentist to move to ‘membership only’ patient scheme

A Harrogate dentist has announced it will only see patients on a membership only basis from December.

Chatsworth House Dental Clinic, which is based on King’s Road, announced it will move to a monthly payment scheme once its NHS contract comes to an end.

The move comes as concern has been raised about the lack of access to NHS dentistry within the Harrogate district.

In a letter to patients seen by the Stray Ferret, Chatsworth House said it made the decision to “reduce appointment waiting times” and “improve prevention of dental disease and decay”.

It said:

“After careful consideration, we have decided that from 1st December 2023 we will be seeing patients on a membership basis only.

“We know this decision will allow us to spend more time with you, reduce appointment waiting times, improve prevention of dental disease and decay, and offer you a greater choice in the variety of treatments we are able to deliver in a much more relaxed environment.”

The letter adds that patients will be offered a membership plan of £21.45 per month – or 70p per day.

The practice had previously proposed plans to refer NHS patients to Starbeck Dental Centre in August 2020, but later dropped the proposal.

The Stray Ferret approached the clinic for comment on its plan, but had not received a response by the time of publication.

NHS dentist fears

It comes as politicians have raised concern over the lack of access to NHS dentistry in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Daisy Cooper, MP for St Albans and Liberal Democrat health spokesperson, raised the issue in the House of Commons in February.

She said only half of children in North Yorkshire managed to see an NHS dentist last year, adding:

“In Harrogate if you are lucky enough to find an NHS dentist taking on any new patients you face a two-and-a-half year wait to see them. This is a shocking state of affairs.”

Meanwhile, Conservative Cllr Andrew Lee, chair of North Yorkshire Council’s health scrutiny panel, wrote to the government’s health and social committee in February with evidence over “extremely problematic” access to dentists.

A review of NHS dentistry published in August 2021 found that there was just one NHS dentist practice per 10,000 people in the Harrogate district.

Cllr Lee said:

“Radical reform is absolutely needed. The solution lies in the management of dental services. Recruitment and retention remain difficult, and dentists themselves are frustrated with the service they can provide.

“The problem does not lie with recruiting dentists, the problem lies with a broken and dysfunctional dental contract with severe underfunding. Dentists themselves cannot rectify this and it is creating by default a two-tier system whereby those that can afford to go private do so and others struggle to access any kind of care.”

Harrogate dentist drops plans to stop NHS services

A Harrogate dentist has dropped plans to stop providing NHS services after patients raised concerns.

Chatsworth House Dental Clinic proposed in August transferring NHS patients to Starbeck Dental Centre.

The provider never made a formal approach to the NHS and has now confirmed it has no intention to stop the service.

The owners of Chatsworth House Dental Clinic said in a statement to the Stray Ferret:

“At the time, the practice was merely seeking opinion from our patient base about the possible merging of NHS services with another practice in the locality.

“We decided not to pursue this any further after feedback from our patients and the logistics of such a proposal.

“We have no intention of ceasing NHS services and the practice is fully committed to providing NHS services for the long-term future at its current location.”

The decision surprised the management team at Starbeck Dental Centre, which was set to take on the NHS contract.

Jonathan Campbell, group operations manager at Starbeck Dental Centre, said:

“I can confirm that the transfer to Starbeck Dental Centre is not happening following the unexpected withdrawal from the owners of Chatsworth House Dental Clinic.

“At Target Dental Group our aim is to provide the best possible care to the patients to both NHS and private patients of Harrogate and surrounding areas.”

Investigation into NHS dentist provision in Harrogate district

It comes after an investigation by the Stray Ferret found that just two NHS dentists in the Harrogate district are currently accepting patients and they have a waiting list of at least two-and-a-half years.

We looked into the availability of free NHS services at the 18 district dental practices listed on the NHS website.

Many have not updated their information for years. But they all fall into one of three categories: they have a long waiting list; they have such a long waiting list that they are not taking on new patients; or they no longer hold an NHS contract.

Of the 18 practices, only MyDentist in Knaresborough and AW Jones Dental Practice in Boroughbridge are taking patients — with waiting times of two-and-a-half years and three years respectively.

Harrogate NHS dental patients ‘not told’ about proposed closure

Patients at an NHS dentist in Harrogate have complained that they were not told about its proposed closure.

The patients claim Chatsworth House Dental Centre on Kings Road did not send letters to many of those who would be affected.

Under the proposals, patients would need to travel 1.7 miles to the practice on Starbeck High Street – a six-minute drive or more than 30-minute walk.

The Stray Ferret has taken the concerns of patients to both Chatsworth House Dental Centre and Target Dental Group. Both pointed to the other provider for a comment.

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One of the patients who has, along with her partner, been at Chatsworth House Dental Centre for more than 25 years said :

“I am in desperate need for a check up so I have been keeping a close eye on them but I had no idea about the proposed closure. It came as a bit of a shock because I have been there so long. Harrogate seems to be building a lot of houses but is not keeping up with vital services like dentists. It is quite frustrating.”

Chatsworth House Dental Centre has not formally approached the NHS with its proposal and it is unclear what the timescale is for the closure.

In the letter to patients, the provider said the merger would create a hub of dental services and “create an even greater patient experience”.

“Starbeck Dental Centre is situated in a modern spacious building. It is able to offer a broad range of services alongside full disabled access, modern facilities and easy access via public transport.”

How easy is it to get an NHS dentist in Harrogate?

The proposed closure of Chatsworth House Dental Centre will likely prompt fears about NHS dentist spaces in Harrogate.

Of the 11 NHS dentists in the town, only the Harrogate Dental Centre on Hookstone Park is advertising for new adult NHS patients. South Park Dental Practice is also advertising for child places up to the age of 18.

Currently, NHS dentists are not taking on any new patients because of the coronavirus pandemic. That could change by October, depending on guidance at the time.

Proposal to close NHS dentist in Harrogate

An NHS dentist in Harrogate could close and move its patients to Starbeck if planned changes go ahead.

Chatsworth House Dental Centre, based on Kings Road, sent out letters to its patients to tell them about the plans to merge with Starbeck Dental Centre.