Scott's encouraging locals to come to DENTAL SERVICES event in HADSTON with HEALTHWATCH
In recent months locals have been without Dental Services in our community. Many families are now trapped without Dental Health because of cost to other providers.
Scott has been lobbying for the return of Dental services in Hadston to serve the community and Healthwatch Northumberland are now holding an event in Hadston House to listen to people.
Please come along if you can.
Thursday 5 April 2018
10pm – 1pm
Hadston House
Bondicar Road
Hadston
NE65 9SR
If you can't make the event please get in touch to share your views you can email: Votedickinson@aol.com or drop in a written note to the Hadston House Offices.
Scott who has been liaising with Healthwatch to organise this event said: "I am pleased Healthwatch Northumberland have taken this matter seriously and are coming to speak to the Community who are affected."
"I have submitted a range of comments to the Health Scrutiny Committee at Northumberland County Council who took my points forward."
"It is really important that local people come and share views if they wish to see NHS England re-provide the service."
You can read the points submitted by Cllr Dickinson below.
I would note a couple of points:
Whilst the “consultation” had many errors and numerous patients hadn’t received the information I suppose that is now irrelevant after the immediate cease of operation. Therefore I see no point in raising those issues again other than to simply make the point.
The information then sent to patients indicated that “local” practices (Alnwick and Morpeth) had space, I pointed out to NHS England and the Health and Wellbeing Board that this is a £7 round journey obviously more if a family is attending. It also mounts to a 40minute journey each way putting off local people that need to access via expensive infrequent public transport links.
Patients within my ward were left in mid-treatment with no emergency provision being offered, one resident who is 87 midway through treatment, has an eye condition and cannot travel to the practices indicated are now left. These vulnerable people need a service within our community to access.
Struggling families in the deprived parts of my ward simply will not be able to afford to attend treatment, both Amble and Widdrington (the closest) indicating no space and not listed on NHS England’s alternative sites. At a time when nationally we are being advised of poor dental hygiene with young people should we really allow people to be put off in this way?
The provision had been irregular, unreliable and this was due to a range of issues but resulted in patients not accessing appointments. The demand for a fully operational site is there, a dental practice has operated in Hadston for many years and is sadly missed at present.
Coquet Medical Group in Hadston recently had over £1million+ refurbishment including the Dental Practice within the centre, this was brilliant for my ward, a real encouragement for local families to access dental services in a fresh pristine environment. We all know poor dental hygiene leads to an entire range of other medical conditions. Will this part of the centre just now stand empty? It would be ideal for a branch operation from a local provider in an environment that is purpose built.
I am appalled that the community found out after immediate withdrawal, therefore they feel upset and anxious that the consultation responses were wasted time, that the consultation didn’t reach the end and that they are now left. Alternative information was poor and as indicated above remains inappropriate.
The Parish Council and others fed in responses to articulate the issues this service has experienced over time, the loyalty shown by patients and the need for services to be delivered within the community.
What are my desired outcomes as the local member?
Provision is found to deliver at Hadston using the new facilities, whether this is a couple of times a week/month or more to ensure local people have access to dental services.
That one of the local practices be approached to offer an outreach service operating from the site.
That we are clear as a Council about the way this has been handled and the urgency for a solution to be found and pressure for a procurement of service ASAP.
