Dentist and NHS

kah22

I'm 74, receiving pension credit and living in northern ireland

During the pandemic my regular dental practise was taken over by a new group. When I visited them they told me they were a dentist down and couldn't take any new patients for the immediate future. But am I a new patients?  I would assume that when taking over the previous dentists they were also buying their lists.

So I suppose what I'm asking is where a dental practise has been taken over does the new practise have to accept their former NHS patients?

Kevin

sevenhills

It's common for dentist to take people off their list if they don't attend for check ups.
When was the last time that you used this dentist?

shiraz99

kah22 said:

I'm 74, receiving pension credit and living in northern ireland

During the pandemic my regular dental practise was taken over by a new group. When I visited them they told me they were a dentist down and couldn't take any new patients for the immediate future. But am I a new patients?  I would assume that when taking over the previous dentists they were also buying their lists.

So I suppose what I'm asking is where a dental practise has been taken over does the new practise have to accept their former NHS patients?

Kevin

Did you ask them whether you were classed as a new patient or not? 

donnac2558

I am in N.I. and have a NHS dentist.   My last checkup was October 2019, but I randomly phoned a few times in 2020 and 2021 to make sure I was still on their list.  Told yes I was, and they would see me if I was in pain, fortunately no.  Finally, they have started seeing patients for check-ups again, so I go in two weeks.

You should still be classed as an existing patient.  Has the practice gone private?  A friend's dentist retired this year and a new dentist taken over they are no longer seeing NHS patients, but she managed to get onto a different practice which is NHS, but her appointment is in November.  I am in Belfast.

kah22

shiraz99 said:

kah22 said:

I'm 74, receiving pension credit and living in northern ireland

During the pandemic my regular dental practise was taken over by a new group. When I visited them they told me they were a dentist down and couldn't take any new patients for the immediate future. But am I a new patients?  I would assume that when taking over the previous dentists they were also buying their lists.

So I suppose what I'm asking is where a dental practise has been taken over does the new practise have to accept their former NHS patients?

Kevin

Did you ask them whether you were classed as a new patient or not? 

I never thought of asking if I was considered as a new patient, I’ll have to check that out 
I have kept all my appointments
Kevin