A man has described the NHS as "completely broken" after being forced to use a Nottingham dentist despite living 80 miles away in Lincolnshire. Stephen Palmer, 67, lives in Sutton on Sea in Mablethorpe but was unable to register with a Lincolnshire dentist and suffered two painful episodes with his "deteriorating teeth."
He eventually managed to get an appointment with a Nottingham NHS dentist last December. Mr Palmer, who has gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) cancer, said the treatment with Seven Dental in Nottingham cost £65.50 each for himself and his wife, Pauline Palmer, 66, which included a filling and a full teeth clean, reports Lincolnshire Live.
He added that he had to pay an additional £35 due to accidentally driving into a bus lane, which added "insult to injury" to having to drive so far for treatment. He said: "It's very inconvenient. We shouldn't have to travel that far to get to a dentist at all, even if you're fit and healthy. I don't drive so I have to rely on my husband so if he couldn't go I wouldn't be able to either, it's stressful.
