Hope for continuity of dental services in Colwyn Bay

A Senedd Member has revealed some hope for around 8,000 NHS patients  due to lose their dental services next month.

Darren Millar MS revealed there is interest in taking over the Bupa dental practice on Prince’s Drive, Colwyn Bay, after the company announced last year it would be shutting it down in February.

There was widespread criticism of the move, which will see another of the company’s practices in Caernarfon also closed down, affecting more than 12,000 NHS patients in total.

Patients have highlighted difficulties in getting onto other local surgery lists because of a lack of spare capacity.

Betsi Cadwaladr health board said there could be “a short time” without services for some  patients but it would be “increasing the availability of access to urgent and priority dental care”.

First Minister Mark Drakeford even stepped into the row by blaming the effects of Brexit for the dental crisis, with large companies unable to “attract the staff that are needed”.

Mr Millar, who didn’t disclose who the interested party was, said he had been working with Welsh Government, Betsi Cadwaladr and Bupa to “ensure continuity of dental services in Colwyn Bay” for around 8,000 NHS patients.

He said: “Since Bupa Dental Care first announced its plans to close their practice in Colwyn Bay, patients of the surgery have been extremely concerned about how they would access dental services in the future given that all other practices in the area are full to capacity.

“I am therefore extremely pleased that another dental care provider has expressed an interest in taking on the Bupa Dental Care premises, staff and NHS contract in Colwyn Bay.

“They are currently engaging positively with Bupa and the Health Board and I’m hopeful we will have some definite, positive news soon.”

He added: “While today’s news is great, we are not out of the woods quite yet.”

By Jez Hemming – Local Democracy Reporter