A temporary mobile dental clinic could be installed in the car park of the Isle of Man’s Ramsey & District Cottage Hospital in an effort to restore NHS dental services in the north of the island.
Manx Care has submitted plans for the mobile dental unit to operate from the hospital site for up to 18 months.
The proposal follows the closure of the Smile Dental Practice service at Ramsey & District Cottage Hospital, which was relocated during refurbishment work linked to a pest control issue discovered at the site.
Under the plans, a dental facility mounted on a heavy goods vehicle trailer would be installed in the hospital car park and connected to existing water and electricity supplies.
The scheme also includes groundworks to improve drainage and create safe access around the unit.
Manx Care said the temporary facility was needed because there were currently no alternative dental premises in the north of the island capable of meeting demand.
Dental services were initially transferred from Ramsey to Hillside Dental Practice in Douglas before moving to the Central Community Health Centre, also in Douglas.
However, Smile Dental Practice suspended operations in April, stating that the temporary arrangements were unsuitable and that ongoing delays to returning to Ramsey meant it could no longer guarantee safe and reliable patient care.
Several Ramsey hospital services relocated to Noble's Hospital in Douglas after the pest control issue led to the closure of the minor injuries unit in December.
According to the latest timetable issued by Manx Care, some services – including the minor injuries unit and radiology – are expected to return to Ramsey in May using modular accommodation.
No date has yet been confirmed for the return of permanent dental services, and it remains unclear who would operate the proposed mobile clinic if planning approval is granted.