Rules if an NHS dentist removes you from their patient list

Rules if an NHS dentist removes you from their patient list Healthwatch England has warned that millions of people are unaware of the rules around NHS dental registration Millions of patients are mistakenly under the impression they hold a permanent place with their NHS dentist once they sign up. Healthwatch England has cautioned that the reality is far different, warning that surgeries can stop seeing patients once their treatment concludes and they may even remove them following repeated missed appointments. The watchdog's own research revealed that 68% of people wrongly believe they can permanently register with an NHS dentist in the same way they do with a GP. However, since reforms to the NHS dental contract in 2006, there has been no formal registration system for NHS dentists in England. Instead, patients are taken on for a course of treatment. Once that treatment concludes, the formal arrangement comes to an end, although many practices opt to maintain informal lists of regular patients and invite them back for routine check-ups. Patients are free to visit any NHS dentist willing to take them on, regardless of where they live, as long as the practice is accepting NHS patients. These findings emerge against the backdrop of an ongoing shortage of NHS dental appointments, with increasing numbers of patients either unable to find a dentist or left with no option but to go private. Healthwatch's polling revealed:. - 33% of people said they had waited longer than they wanted for NHS dental treatment. - 16% said they had been unable to find an NHS dentist willing to treat them. - 27% said they had paid for private dental care during the past two years because they could not access NHS treatment. The problems stem in part from the way dentists are paid under the NHS contract introduced in 2006. Rather than receiving payment based on the number of registered patients, dentists are remunerated using "Units of Dental Activity" (UDAs) for completing treatments. Many dentists contend that the system fails to provide adequate funding, prompting growing numbers to cut back their NHS work or move to private practice. According to the British Dental Association, despite the overall number of dentists rising by around 3%, only 23% now say the majority of their work is for the NHS, down from 40% before the pandemic. You could lose NHS treatment after missed appointments Patients should also be aware that many NHS dental practices operate "failed to attend" policies. While policies differ between practices, surgeries may refuse to continue providing NHS treatment if patients repeatedly fail to turn up to appointments or regularly cancel at short notice. For instance, some practices state they may stop treating an NHS patient after two missed appointments within two years, four short-notice cancellations, or a combination of both. Patients are ordinarily warned before this occurs, and practices typically request at least 24 to 48 hours' notice if an appointment needs to be cancelled. Calls for reform Healthwatch England is supporting calls for a return to GP-style registration, arguing that patients should once again have the right to remain permanently registered with an NHS dental practice for both routine and urgent care. The Government is currently in talks with the British Dental Association over reforms to the NHS dental contract, and has launched a recruitment drive designed to boost the number of NHS dentists in areas where access to appointments is most limited. In the meantime, Healthwatch is calling on dental practices to be more transparent with patients about the fact that they are not permanently registered with an NHS dentist, and to clearly outline what steps are needed to remain a regular NHS patient. Your NHS dentist rights - You cannot formally register with an NHS dentist in England as you do with a GP. - You can attend any NHS practice that is accepting new NHS patients. - Your NHS arrangement usually ends once your course of treatment has been completed. Many practices keep informal patient lists, but they are not legally required to do so. Repeated missed appointments or short-notice cancellations may result in a practice deciding not to offer you further NHS treatment, in line with its policy.