HEALTH chiefs in tooth decay-ridden East Lancashire are receiving almost 100 calls a week from people struggling to register with a dentist, it was revealed today.
A dental expert said the number of calls - a rise of more than a third during the past 12 months - showed the full extent of the crisis affecting the district.
Dr Gary Whittle, dental public health consultant for the East Lancashire Health Authority, said a shortage of dentists meant patients were finding it increasingly difficult to register with a practitioner.
He said the health authority was trying its best to counter the shortage.
The latest scheme to be introduced is an emergency service in Burnley for people who are not registered to receive one-off treatment.
But Dr Whittle said the shortage of practitioners, allied to East Lancashire's appalling dental health record, meant the situation was not improving.
Dr Whittle said: "The health authority received more than 1,100 telephone calls from the public during the October, November and December period with the vast majority coming from the Burnley and Pendle area.
"It is a problem that doesn't seem to be getting any better." Some East Lancashire practices are still accepting new NHS patients, but in most cases people are being told that they will have to wait months for an appointment.
Latest figures show there are only four dentists in Burnley and four in Pendle willing to accept new NHS patients.
There are 17 practitioners accepting new NHS patients in Blackburn and Darwen; seven in Hyndburn, two in the Ribble Valley and nine in Rossendale.
The emergency scheme at St Nicholas Health Centre, Saunder Bank, Burnley, has started on Monday afternoons run by the Burnley NHS Trust.
Hilary Whitehead, the trust's dental services manager, said it was aimed at people seeking emergency treatment who were not registered.
She said people should call on Monday morning and make an appointment to come in the afternoon.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article