Dentist removing me as NHS patient?

[Collienova]

Are there any dentists or dental practice managers that could advise on whether I'm being unreasonable here please?

Backstory...sorry it's a longer one but I'm trying not to drip feed.
I have a certain apprehension about going to the dentist (probably from childhood), but I have been trying to get better. Anyway, I had the last proper checkup in 2018 and was due one in 2020 which was cancelled by the practice due to Covid restrictions. I have been seeing a hygienist at this practise and then at a different private one as I didn't get on with the hygienist at the one this relates to. I have been taking my children every 6 months and at the last visit this week, I thought I'd better get over my fear and make another appointment. There have been no reminders or any communication by the practice about a check up being due or anything else. I was at that point informed that I would have to go private as I haven't been for a check up in 2 years and there is an apparent rule set by the NHS that you have to go every 2 years or they strike you off the NHS patient list. When I queried that they hadn't sent me any reminders or given me notice of any sort they stated that reminders are a goodwill gesture and that it's my responsibility.

I don't have a problem taking that responsibility, but my issue is that I can't find anything on the practice website, their Facebook page, the NHS website or my local ICHB website about this 2 year rule? I'm happy to stick to that, but they're refusing to reinstate me saying that they would lose their NHS contract if they do? I have to doubt that as a friend of mine had the same situation and she managed to speak to the practice manager at the time and was reinstated when she complained. I asked for the practice manager, but I was told I have to complain by email and they would get back to me within 28 days.

Could anyone shed any light on the rules here so I can craft a meaningful email please? I know I should've gone earlier, but i think it's not right to strike someone off the patient list without letting them know what the rules are and without giving them any notice? many thanks in advance!

I don’t have a diary and I don’t need walking to appointments but I do manage to go every six months and take my children with me, so I reckon relying upon the calendar app in my phone is just as effective.

Yes. Well, that's sort of the diary I was referring to. And bravo. I don't know when it became the practice's responsibility to remind people to attend. It's mostly automatic now, through a computer system and we have mail/sms delivery to prove reminders are sent out. Still people feign ignorance.

We just get a little ticket confirming the details which is printed out by reception. I always book my next appointment when I come out of my last one so I suppose it works well as it means I don’t need a reminder to book it at a later date when I might forget.

It's not just a checkup, I've been having a lot of work done, I qualify for free dental treatment due to a medical condition, so paying £40 to fill the car up works out much cheaper for me.

Well, I'm not sure what they call it now, but our dentist has me and DH on a list, I have 6 monthly check ups, if I have an issue I call them and they give me an NHS appointment. Before I was on this list, if I had an issue and I called them I would be told they weren't taking on NHS patients and I would call the emergency dental line and be allocated to any dentist in my area for an emergency appointment. The immediate issue, pain or whatever would be sorted and then I would need to make a private appointment to get it sorted permanently.

So I don't know whether it is called registration or not, but it certainly has the same effect!

Yes it has the same effect and day to day, it basically looks and feels like registration. The caveat being, they don't actually have to accept you for future courses of treatment in the future.

So what do NHS dentists call their patient lists?

Because when they only give appointments to patients who’ve received treatment / check ups within the last 2 years, and put anyone else on a waiting list until a space is created by one of the regular patients leaving / being removed for whatever reason, then surely in practice it works like patients being registered?

But by your own admission you knew they had reopened - after all, you were going for hygienist appointments and taking your own children! You’ve screwed up, not them.

Oh cross posted, I see you answered that question while I was typing my previous post 🤣

Confusingly, they probably call it registration. You can register with a practice/be on their database but that is not the same as being registered as an NHS patient in the same way you are with your GP. The practice is a private business and operates under a contract with the NHS. The terms of this contract mean that they only need to see patients for defined courses of treatment, there is not contractual commitment to long-term care. Of course, it makes business sense for dentists to see patients long-term as this usually results in a cohort of well looked after, predictable patients. For this reason, people who no-show etc are usually declined future appointments.

My NHS dentist recommends a check up every 6 months you'll be removed if no appointment within a year. I've no problem with that.

Covid has nothing to do with this. Most people go for check ups annually or biannual. After covid reopening you needed to call and make an appointment

The dentist gets paid for check ups from NHS but can only have a set number of nhs patients. It is the NHS contract they've been granted. If you wanted to keep your NHS place you needed to use it.

On the bright side you haven't paid 6 years of check up costs which is over £300 so cost wise it evens out. Treatment is going to be more expensive now but most NHS treatment is no frills and you'd maybe choose a better private option anyway

Surely everyone knows now if you don't go regularly you are struck off. You haven't been for 6 years.

Well I didn't know because it wasn't in any of the paperwork. I have now found another NHS dentist. I did email my last practise with feedback on my experience. Now I'm aware, I can do better.