Nobody has come forward to provide a new ‘super surgery’ on the Isle of Wight which would help fill the hole in the Island’s dental provision, it has been revealed.
In an effort to solve the Island’s dentistry issues — which sees thousands of residents waiting months for an appointment — a new dental practice was proposed.
In March, following a review of the Island’s current dental services, NHS England looked to create a contract for a dental practice nearly 4 times as big as 1 full-time surgery.
The bid to find someone to fill that contract has been unsuccessful, however.
In an update to the Isle of Wight Council’s policy and scrutiny committee for health and social care, to be heard at its meeting next week (6th June), the NHS said it had been commissioning services across Hampshire and the Island as a priority.
While work is now taking place across the Solent, the NHS says disappointingly, no one came forward to take on the proposed new contract for the Island.
The NHS says teams are working to understand why previously interested parties did not come forward and once those responses have been evaluated will look at alternative, flexible arrangements.
In July, the commissioning of dental services will move from NHS England to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board. It has been hoped the move will allow for more local and bespoke arrangements to fix the Island’s problems.
A persistent issue remains, though, in the recruitment and retention of dentists to the Island.
The final version of the NHS’s review of dental need across the region, published earlier this month, said Isle of Wight recruitment problems had led to the under-delivery of commissioned dental activity. The NHS says the issues here are the most pronounced, with insufficient staffing levels to carry out those services.
The body says the recruitment and retention of dentists should be reviewed with all stakeholders and addressed in a systematic approach.
Does a new ‘super surgery’ come equipped with a full compliment of dentists or am I missing something? It’s dentists we need, not more buildings.
Did you read the article? Or just the headline, obviously just the headline along with 12 other thumbs up..
No surprise there – I like many many others predicted this exact outcome when this idea was mooted some time ago. Perhaps those that purport to know better should actually listen to those that actually DO know better.
persistent recruitment issue – you’re not paying enough
persistent retention issue – they can easily get a better deal somewhere else
probably the answer to the ‘no contract’ question also
Well to be honest most of the dentists that are still on the island are going private!!!!!
And who wants to move to the new concrete jungle ?????
Paying more for ferries to see family and friends , or for decent shops !!!!!
One hospital cuts to services ….
Not exactly enticing is it ????
And the rest have gone home to Romania, Poland, etc.
Brexit. taking back control from the corrupt EU one rotten tooth at a time
Let’s face it, the island used to be a sought after place to come and live. Now, with the influx of yobbo’s and the feral kids abundant on the island, along with a useless council, unreliable and expensive transport, and how the island is looked on by mainlanders as an absolute joke, why would any professional want to come over here?
More the influx of moaning old codgers moving here to retire.
So lead the nation and set up an NHS dental school over here
All of those who own more houses than they need already have a dentist, at home, on the mainland. The locals who work for the minimum wage can’t afford one, so who gives a flying floss?
That is obvious, no one can afford the ferries and the disruptive timetables, let alone no crossing after 20.20 ( hours)! Time to start getting the tunnel built, then these types of services would start popping up all over the Island.. NOT just at St Mary’s… another filthy dump.. !!
Island needs a tunnel to mainland.
They won’t work with ZERO HOUR CONTRACTS
As I have said before young professionals including dentists don’t want to come to a place that has poor schools curtailing their kids life chances. That coupled with negative attitudes to anything post 1950’s eg “the internet is dangerous” heard uttered twice in so many weeks, and the general no can do attitude. Who wants their kids growing up in such an environment, no matter how beautiful the surroundings..