An effort to retain NHS dental provision in Callander has been backed by more than 2000 people.
In November last year, we told how there were concerns raised over a lack of NHS dentist provision in the town after a surgery told patients it would no long offer the services due to pressures.
The Infinity Blu Dental Care and Implant Clinic, in Main Street, wrote to patients informing them of the plans to move to a private service this month.
In a statement to the Observer, a spokesperson for the company said: “Due to continuing pressures of the NHS, our dentists at our Callander practice have collectively made the very difficult decision to cease seeing their adult patients after the three months’ notice period.”
It left patients facing having to travel to Crieff or Auchterarder to find another NHS dentist, with local councillor Elaine Watterson calling the development “devastating for the whole of Trossachs and Teith”.
Also in November last year, a series of options were drafted up by Callander’s community council in a desperate bid to save NHS dental treatments in the town.
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Callander Community Council drafted up a number of new proposals as it seeks to come up with a plan to maintain NHS dental services.
Community councillor Ray Watkins – a former dentist who previously worked as Chief Dental Officer for NHS Forth Valley and then for NHS Scotland – came up with a number of fresh ideas, including one to set up a dental practice in the town as a social enterprise.
The community council launched an petition – which has both online and paper copies – in which they urged locals to back their campaign to retain NHS dentistry in the town.
On the petition, they said: “Please sign the petition if you wish to voice your concern at this loss of service in rural Scotland and support this petition to Forth Valley Health Board and the Scottish Government, asking them to provide a new locally based NHS dental service for residents of Callander and surrounding towns and villages of west Perthshire.”
His recommendations suggest starting with a two surgery practice, decontamination room, waiting room and reception area and disabled toilet all on a ground floor for disabled access.
He adds that, if possible, it should have enough space for the addition of a third surgery.
At the time of print, the online petition had garnered more 688 signatures. In addition, paper copies are also available to sign in the town.
Mr Watkins commented: “The petition, both in paper form and online, has now been supported by more than 1000 households, with an estimate of over 2000 people including children, who wish to register for local dental services with an NHS dentist in the area.”
The petition will remain open until the end of February and the community council hopes to present it to NHS Forth Valley and the Scottish Government by the end of March.
Anyone wishing to view the petition should click here.
