Outrage as dentist 'gave patients ultimatum' before NHS sign-up

Patients who queued for hours to get their dental care on the NHS were forced to pay for a hygienist appointment before being allowed to register, a BBC investigation has revealed. 

Prospective patients said they were handed an 'ultimatum' which saw hundreds pay £69 to sign up, despite guidelines which state a health care provider cannot refuse an NHS patients if they don't want to pay for a private service.

On being made aware of the alleged agreement, chair of the British Dental Association, Eddie Crouch said: 'We know there are 14 million people, sadly, at the moment who want access to an NHS dentist, but those 14 million need to be supported by government, and not abused by any bad practice within our membership.'

Lodge Causeway Dental Centre, in east Bristol, held an open day on 6 September which saw thousands of desperate people - including pregnant women and elderly patients who haven't been seen in years, queing to register with an NHS dentist. 

But when they reached the front of the queue they were told they had to pay a hefty fee for a hygienist appointment if they wanted one of the coveted places. 

Alice Worthington, from south Bristol, told the BBC that she 'didn't actually need a hygienist appointment at all', but because it's 'impossible to find an NHS dentist,' she paid the fee. 

The dental centre maintains that the appointments were simply 'offered' alongside a check-up and has apologised for any confusion. 

Since the open day, the practice has allegedly seen 2,591 NHS patients and only offered 108 hygienist appointments, with systems set up to automatically take payment in advance. 

Ms Worthington started queueing long before the practice opened its doors at 8am and was in the line for over three hours with no mention of having to pay. 

'We got into reception and they told us that if we wanted to register as an NHS patient we would have to pay £70 for a hygienist appointment,' she said. 

'I'd recently had one with the private practice that I was going to, but we were told that until we'd paid the £70 we were not going to be registered with the NHS.'

Ms Worthington added that despite being able to afford this herself, others around her became very distressed when they found out about the fee. 

Sam Mellor, from Bedminster, similarly arrived early to guarantee himself a spot on the list. 

But he was given the same ultimatum, with the option to pay for the appointment at a later date. 

He later emailed the practice, after booking the appointment, to complain about the stipulation.

In a response seen by the BBC, the practice claimed that the hygenist appoint was 'just an offer'. 

But many insist this was not the case. 

Crouch added: 'If [prospective patients] are being told they have to have a private hygienist appointment before having some NHS dental treatment, then I don't think that's correct.' 

Lodegwat Causeway Dental Centre admitted that for the five per cent of patients who were not in need of urgent care, an 'offer; of a hygienist appointment was made alongside a routine check-up. 

It has since apologised 'unreservedly' for taking payments for such appointments in advance and has encouraged patients to contact them to discuss the matter. 

A spokesperson for the NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board explained that whilst NHS dentists are allowed to offer hygienist appointment, patients 'should not be obliged to pay for an appointment at the time of registering.'