Community dental access centre opens

Two thousand patients are expected to access NHS dental treatment each year at the new PCT Dental Clinic in Castlemere.

Paul Rowen MP and Mr Junejo, Consul General of Pakistan will officially open the Clinic at 12.30pm on 30 November by unveiling a plaque to mark this important addition to dental health services in the area.

The Clinic, funded by the PCT, is in an area of particularly high need where traditionally local communities have been unable to access health care.

The Castlemere Dental Clinic will have a team of dentists, dental nurses and support staff to provide a range of services. It will be open Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm and will operate as an addition to the PCT’s Dental Access Centre on Whitehall Street.  People will be able to get extended courses of treatment by making an appointment.

Dr Khalid Anis, Clinical Director of Dentistry and Consultant in Public Health for Rochdale Borough says: “NHS dentistry is a major priority for the PCT and we are committed to addressing this issue. The new dental suite at Castlemere is evidence of our commitment and will provide significantly more patients in Rochdale local access to NHS dental treatment.  Our plans are not just about more dentists though and we will be working hard to improve oral health through promotion and education.”

The new dental contract arrangements that were introduced in April 2006 gives the PCT the power to commission new dental services and to decide where new practices go to meet local needs.  Since then, the PCT has made a substantial additional investment into NHS dentistry (£250,000) to improve dental access across the Borough.

The PCT now operates its own Emergency Out of Hours Dental Line that arranges appointments for people who live in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale. The Out of Hours service (for emergencies only) operates between 6pm – 12am every weekday, weekend and bank holidays 8am-12am on 0845 602 0704.