Dental places pledge for N Yorks (From Gazette & Herald)

Dental places pledge for N Yorks

HEALTH bosses have pledged to increase the number of NHS dental places in North Yorkshire by 11,000 over the next three years.

The Scarborough Whitby Ryedale Primary Care Trust (PCT) unveiled its Dental Action Plan at a public board meeting in Scarborough, and said it would increase the number of dental places in Ryedale by 1,300.

Speaking before the meeting, Michael Whitworth, chief executive of the PCT, said: "We are very confident about our plans to increase dental places, and if we need more we will put further plans in place."

According to the dental action plan, NHS dentist places in Ryedale would be created in Malton and Pickering, with recruitment negotiations on-going. Details of the surgeries concerned could not be revealed due to commercial sensitivity.

Helen Stokell, modernization manager for the primary care trust, said "We have secured funding for extra dentists and support staff across the area."

She said that the PCT would also monitor changes in working patterns, in order to off-set retirements or changes to private practice.

The announcement comes on the back of a dental places crisis in York. In recent weeks, several York practices have turned private - leaving some NHS patients without a dental practitioner.

Board member Adrian Brookes asked what public consultation there had been in drawing up the action plan.

Mr Whitworth replied that many people had contacted the PCT and attended public board meetings. He said the PCT had also consulted democratically-elected members of local government on the issue, but added: "The public made it very clear what they wanted and our efforts have been focused on solving it, not re-consulting them."

Mr Whitworth said the PCT was looking to recruit more support staff, to free up dentists' time, and said the recruitment of dentists from overseas was also part of the plan.

Adults and children wishing to register with an NHS dentist can place themselves on a database called the Patient Advice and Liaison (PALS) service, launched by the PCT last month. To get on the database phone 01653 600800 or email pals@swrpct.nhs.uk

Volunteers Week marked

THE York branch of the PDSA is celebrating National Volunteers Week this week.

A display on the theme of "yesterday, today and tomorrow" will be on show in the Goodramgate shop window.

For information about volunteering at the shop phone Jean Adkin on 01904 678628.

Updated: 10:35 Monday, May 31, 2004