A dental practice in Ebbw Vale has announced plans to turn part of its service private this month, putting around 1,000 patients at risk of being left without a dentist.
The practice based near the town centre on Bethcar Street, Ebbw Vale, has sent out letters to some patients outlining plans to end part of the current NHS service on March 31, 2022.
While some locals have been left in shock at the announcement, a spokesperson for the practice said the plans, which would affect 10% of its patients, came after challenges to find a dentist who was prepared to work in the NHS system that were compounded by the retirement of a colleague.
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Kathryn Cross, 44, who lives in Cwm, says as well as a feeling of great disappointment at the decision, she is also concerned for locals who may not be able to afford the new price plan that will be coming into place on April 1 for affected patients, starting at a cost of £19.28 per month.
She said: "When I saw the letter that came through my door I was pretty shocked, as I'm sure this will mean some people in the area will be left without access to dental care as a result. It's very concerning and to be honest I still can't believe it.
"I've been coming here since I was a baby so to think of it not being accessible to everyone is strange, and with so many people in the area already struggling to find dental care it's an additional blow that could be quite impactful.
"For me I think it is a business decision that hasn't necessarily taken the people into account and I think a lot of them are going to be angry about what has happened with this change."
You can read more about the Swansea man who was forced to take out his own tooth with a set of pliers after struggling to find a NHS dentist here.
Alan Phillips is also a regular at Bethcar Dental and shares the same fears as Kathryn.
He said: "While it wasn't clear to us from the letter that it was only 10% of the practice that will be changing over, for the people who are included within that 10% it doesn't lessen the blow. We also don't know if more of the service will change over in the future as well.
"£20 a month may be quite affordable to many people, but if you think about less well off families with multiple people, that price can quickly add up.
"Maybe it is part of a wider issue that needs to be looked at in Wales at the moment, and isn't necessarily the fault of the practice, but either way I'm sure there will be people who aren't able to sign up to this new price plan that will be left out."
A spokesperson for the practice said while it was a tough decision, they had received a positive response to the change and were eager for members of the community to understand why it was made.
They said: "We are keen for the community to know the facts and to understand our reasons for making such a tough decision for one part time dentist to no longer be part of the NHS contract. To keep things in perspective, it is important to know that this one part time dentist patient list only affects 10% of the patients within our practice.
"We have plans to extend the practice, however, just as many practices in Wales and in the rest of the UK, we face the same challenge in finding a dentist who is prepared to work in the NHS system. This was compounded by the retirement of a colleague.
"We have had a fantastically supportive and positive response to the change. We look forward to serving the community of Ebbw Vale for many years to come and would like to take the opportunity to thank such loyalty from our patients."
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