Patients Despair As Devon NHS Dentist Goes Private

Patients Despair As Devon NHS Dentist Goes Private

As widely reported on GDPUK and across the mainstream media, NHS dentistry is facing an exodus of dentists and practices.  

For many who embark on the journey from NHS to private, despite the assurances of payment plan providers who weave the ‘you’ll never look back’ line into their sales pitches, the hardest part can be breaking the news to loyal patients.

Dr Presh Mulay, an Associate Dentist and anchor of Moretonhampstead Dental Practice near Newton Abbot in Devon, knows only too well how distressing the decision can be.  The practice, located in a quiet little town on Dartmoor was purchased by owners of nearby Chagford Dental Practice Drs Simon Channing and Sally-Anne Button twelve years ago.  Presh has also worked there for twelve years.

With its 7000 UDA NHS contract the single surgery practice had potential in an area where NHS dental practices were thin on the ground and the new owners invested heavily. Converting a former bank into a three-surgery practice, securing along the way some additional UDAs, bolting on a hygienist and an additional Associate. An over target performance in 2020-21 however, could not be offset against an underperformance in 2019-20 when the practice had struggled to recruit a new Associate and Covid wreaked havoc. Non-recurring UDAs were taken away despite there being no shortage of patients to make use of them.

Speaking to GDPUK, Presh Mulay said “Like many practices we found the NHS model unsustainable, so after discussions with Simon and Sally we agreed I should go private.  I had a list of around 1500 patients and have been surprised and heartened how many have stayed with me.  Denplan wrote to my patients informing them of the move and invited them to sign up”.

For lots of patients however, the move has come as a bombshell which blew up in the Mid-Devon Advertiser.   Drs Channing, Button and Mulay issued a joint statement “Our decision has not been an easy one to make but one we feel necessary for the continuity of care for our patients based upon the funding available to us for the provision of NHS treatment.”

The paper reports that over 180 patients have commented on the local community hub in an area of England where NHS dentists are notoriously difficult to find.  “I am really disappointed. I have had NHS treatment from Presh and the practice for 30 years” posted one disgruntled former patient, whilst another wrote “Disgraceful for the longest residents of the area to be dropped like this! Especially the 65+ year olds.”

Not surprisingly, parents too are gravely concerned for the health of their children when NHS dentistry is not available. “There are many, many people who cannot afford to pay privately for dental care for their children. Children have a right to free dental care. But if that cannot be provided somewhere local, these children will simply just not go to the dentist” said one.

Moretonhampstead Dental Practice’s other Associate will continue to deliver NHS dentistry but does not have the capacity to take on Presh Mulay’s NHS patients. 

For dental practices that are established and have a loyal following, Dr Mulay’s experiences are something to be factored into any decision to go private and Simon Channing concedes it is far from easy. “Presh has invested in himself and is completing a Masters in Restorative Dentistry.  There’s lots he wants to do that he can’t on an NHS contract. This move will enable him to expand his offer. Of course we feel for those patients who can’t stay with us, but we are only funded to care for so many patients and that means disappointing people too.  What people may not realise is that we have subsidised the practice but can’t do so in perpetuity, so this move will enable it (the practice) to continue.”

This episode, by looking behind the headlines, exposes once more the complexities of running a dental practice with a broken NHS contract that is not fit for purpose.  All patients see is ‘another dentist going private leaving them high and dry’ and this then feeds into the ‘greedy dentists’ narrative which all in the profession are familiar with. The reality is far more nuanced.

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