West Tyrone Sinn Fein Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Mc Aleer welcomes imminent relief for Omagh NHS Dental Patients

Published: 5 February, 2010

In April 2008 Councillor Mc Aleer highlighted the plight faced by many NHS dental patients.

In April 2008 Councillor Mc Aleer highlighted the plight faced by many NHS dental patients.

Omagh District Councillor Declan Mc Aleer has welcomed the announcement that a new dentist opening in Omagh will cater for NHS patients. It is understood that Oasis dental care is due to open a business on the

Derry Road

within the coming weeks. Oasis had been awarded a £17 million contract from the Health Minister to open 38 practices to deal with NHS patients unable to access dental care.

Councillor Mc Aleer had raised the issue of lack of NHS dental provision in Omagh last year and local MP Pat Doherty had raised the issue via a written Assembly question to Michael Mc Gimpsey.

Speaking on the news that Oasis dental care is to open, Councillor Mc Aleer said:

"I welcome that fact that at long last their will be relief for NHS patients, many of whom have been in limbo over the past few years having tried unsuccessfully to register with various dentists throughout the Tyrone area.

"The lack of dental provision in Omagh has been of huge concern. Following Minister Mc Gimpsey's comments last year, I personally contacted over 15 NHS registered local dentists to see if they would take on additional NHS patients, however none were willing to do so.

"I would urge anyone who requires dental treatment to enrol now. The contract that has been awarded to Oasis mandates that every surgery is required to take a minimum of 1,500 NHS patients. This should be sufficient capacity to facilitate everyone seeking to be registered. I would hope that this goes some way to addressing the lack of NHS dental provision in the Omagh area.

For information:

No room at the Inn for dental patients - Mc Aleer

Published: 22 April, 2008

Desperate times: The lack of dentists in the NHS has created a gap in provision for the most vulnerable in society.

Mid Tyrone Sinn Féin Councillor, Declan Mc Aleer has added his voice to the growing lobby for proper dental provision in the area.

Cllr Mc Aleer was responding to a question tabled by Pat Doherty MP to Health Minister, Michael Mc Gimpsey. Mr Doherty's question requested details of dental practises in the Omagh and Strabane areas who are prepared to take on new NHS patients.

According to Cllr Mc Aleer "Michael Mc Gimpsey's response accepted that there was a lack of dental services in the Omagh and Strabane areas willing to actively accept new Health service patients".

"The Minister's answer gave details of 10 dental practises in Omagh and 5 in Strabane who are on the dental list of the Central Services Agency (CSA). These practises are registered to facilitate the undertaking of health service dentistry. However, when I telephoned each these practise's, not one was willing to take on new NHS patients".

Cllr Aleer continued "All of the practises made the excuse that their books were either full or presently closed to new NHS patients and that these would not re open for the foreseeable future. It was a case of 'No room at the Inn'. The only glimpse of light was one dental surgery in Strabane who said that their books would re open in July, at the earliest!"

Councillor Mc Aleer concluded "This is an appalling set of circumstances where people from the most socially deprived sections of our community are denied the right to adequate dental care. The Minister must really get his act together and urgently recruit more dentists into the NHS. This is an issue which we, as elected representatives, will keep pursuing with the Minister and the Western Health Board with the utmost of vigour". CRÍOCH

NOTE: For Soundbite follow the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opu7BGD_DZ4