NHS Dentist Discriminating Against Benefit Claimants?

JarkayColt

I claim working tax credits and have an exemption certificate for free NHS dental treatment.

My previous NHS dentist has supposedly left the practice (that me and my parents had visited for the last 20+ years) and so they've had to reschedule our sixth month checkups.

In the past, we were able to book NHS appointments with our old dentist on the same day, even though my parents paid and I didn't.

However, I was informed (somewhat inadequately) that we could no longer do this as the new dentist has apparently made it their "policy" not to treat anybody who's claiming benefits. They'll still see my parents (as NHS patients, no less), but if I wanted an appointment on the same day I'd have to PAY for it. Bizarrely, they said I would have to see another dentist at the same practice if I wanted to claim my free NHS treatment.

Now, until now the practice had only ever had one dentist (so I don't know if this is common practice), but I would have assumed that the decision (or rather, the contracted obligation) to treat existing NHS patients free of charge is something that would be made at practice-level and not by each individual dentist?

I was just wondering if anyone had heard of anything similar and whether there would actually be grounds to make a formal complaint about the dentist in question. Information regarding the right to NHS treatment is already complicated enough as it is but something really doesn't sound right here. Do I insist I have a right to see either dentist if they're both seeing NHS patients or what?

TELLIT01

It seems that it is now a mixed practice with some dentists only doing private work and others either just doing NHS or a mix of NHS and private. There is nothing illegal about it.
The dentist may also have had too much hassle with people incorrectly claiming free treatment when on benefits, and you have been caught up in their 'solution' to the problem. Although your parents are NHS patients they still contribute towards the cost.

[Deleted User]

JarkayColt wrote: »

I claim working tax credits and have an exemption certificate for free NHS dental treatment.

My previous NHS dentist has supposedly left the practice (that me and my parents had visited for the last 20+ years) and so they've had to reschedule our sixth month checkups.

In the past, we were able to book NHS appointments with our old dentist on the same day, even though my parents paid and I didn't.

However, I was informed (somewhat inadequately) that we could no longer do this as the new dentist has apparently made it their "policy" not to treat anybody who's claiming benefits. They'll still see my parents (as NHS patients, no less), but if I wanted an appointment on the same day I'd have to PAY for it. Bizarrely, they said I would have to see another dentist at the same practice if I wanted to claim my free NHS treatment.

Now, until now the practice had only ever had one dentist (so I don't know if this is common practice), but I would have assumed that the decision (or rather, the contracted obligation) to treat existing NHS patients free of charge is something that would be made at practice-level and not by each individual dentist?

I was just wondering if anyone had heard of anything similar and whether there would actually be grounds to make a formal complaint about the dentist in question. Information regarding the right to NHS treatment is already complicated enough as it is but something really doesn't sound right here. Do I insist I have a right to see either dentist if they're both seeing NHS patients or what?

To add to @TELLIT01 s post your parents can choose not to be treated by the new dentist of course.

brook2jack

The health authorities who give out NHS contracts have strict targets they want dentists to hit. Some include a PCR target ( patient charge revenue) ie a target for the dentist to collect in patient charges.

The dentist is paid the same whether or not someone is on benefits but patient charges are making up an increasing amount of the NHS dental budget and health boards etc keep an eagle eye on PCR generated.

Each individual dentist is set targets and is monitored separately, even within the same practice.You cannot insist on seeing a particular dentist.

WhenIam64

I have a Russian (plus Russian-trained) dentist who is fantastic. She's always trying to find ways to reduce the cost for her NHS patients. I am sure she could make more money/charging more by re-interpreting the rules.

It comes down to the dentist and their approach to NHS work.

JarkayColt

Thank you for the responses.

I sort of understand how allocating certain patients (i.e. free, fee-paying) to a specific dentist would help when tracking targets but it's just the way it's being implemented that rubs me the wrong way. It's baffling why both dentists at the practice would see NHS patients, but one decide not to treat benefit claimants specifically, i.e. they stated they'll treat free kids (they actually presumed I must be a child at first), so it's not like this one's just talking the private/paying clients. It just doesn't make any sense from the view of a patient, even if that's the done thing.

brook2jack

As said before each individual dentist is set targets by the health board/authority and one of those targets is the amount of pcr (patient charges) generated.
One dentist might have fewer exempt patients so is hitting targets and can still take on exempt patients, the other may have more exempt patients and so cannot.
The targets are investigated per dentist not per practice.
NHS dentists are penalised and investigated if they do not hit their targets.