County's dental gap to be filled
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NHS dental waiting lists will be a thing of the past by the end of this year, according to the head of a new dental practice.
Dr John Barry’s made the pledge after revealing that the Bridgend Healthcare Centre in Thurso, which reopened its doors on Monday under his management, will be leasing the new dental unit at Dunbar Hospital.
NHS Highland became the first health board in the country to create a general dental practitioner lease for the £1.2 million facility which is due to open in October.
Dr Barry said the Bridgend Healthcare Centre will offer private treatment while the Dunbar unit will offer 100 per cent NHS treatment.
Earlier this year, it was reported that there were 4636 people on the waiting list for NHS registration in Caithness.
Dr Barry said that patients in the Far North will now have easy ?access to all types of dental care.
“There are currently over 4000 people in the county waiting for NHS treatment,” he said. “The Dunbar Health Clinic will eliminate that as we have capacity to treat 6000 patients.
“Total choice now reigns – if they want NHS treatment or private treatment, they now have the option of both.”
He added: “It will take around six months to get everything running smoothly. I will be meeting with NHS Highland on Monday to discuss prioritising patients for NHS treatment.
“To begin with, we will focus on getting the most urgent cases out of trouble.”
Dr Barry has bought the Bridgend Health Centre after selling the premises, from which he previously ran a practice, in 2006 to pursue other business interests.
The facility was forced to close last September when previous owners John and Janey Murray, of Smile Solutions, were declared bankrupt. Ten employees lost their jobs.
The health centre was experiencing financial difficulties and Dr Murray blamed the closure on the Her Majesty’s Customs and Revenue for chasing an unpaid tax bill.
Dr Barry will be joined at the Bridgend Health Centre and at the Dunbar dental unit by colleagues Dr John Rautenbach and Dr Colin Hayes. The latter will start later this year.
He said is he is now aiming to deliver top-quality dental care to Caithness.
“We are focusing on going back to being an incredibly busy practice,” he said “Our main aims is to focus on the quality and on the care of the patient. Dental care has been a major issue for the county and we are looking forward to serving people’s needs.”
It is estimated that over 20 new jobs will be created as the result of the opening of the health centre and Dunbar clinic.
It is planned that at least 12 of those positions that will be based at the Bridgend Healthcare Centre, which will include dental nurses and administrative staff. Two of the posts have already gone to staff members who lost their jobs when the centre closed last year.
The news will be welcomed by various organisations which have long campaigned for better dental provision in the Thurso area.
Thurso Community Council chairman Bob Earnshaw said he is pleased that more care will be available.
“Dental care options in the west of the county have been thin on the ground in recent years,” he said.
“I have heard of people having to travel to places in Wick, Helmsdale and even Golspie to receive treatment.
“It is welcome news for people in Thurso that they will have access to NHS treatment and I hope that it will go some way to reducing the waiting lists.
“The more choice people have in West Caithness and Sutherland, the better.”
