Dentist cancelled because of maternity exemption

[Acc0untant]

This isn't a huge deal in the grand scheme of things but I feel a bit put out regardless.

My dentist has cancelled my appointment next month and when I queried why the receptionist told me that they aren't seeing any patients who are exempt at the minute. In my case I have a maternity exemption certificate (runs out in March). She said it's because they aren't receiving any NHS funding for it at the minute.

The point of the maternity exemption is that due to pregnancy you can have additional things needing work (pregnant gingivitis etc) and you aren't unfairly penalised by having to visit often. In this case they're saying I can't be seen until I start paying the NHS prices again in April.

Not going to pull the discrimination card (although being told I can't use their services until I no longer have an exemption due to pregnancy certainly feels like it) but would like to hear the thoughts of others on this too!

OP, is this just a check-up?
If so, can you afford to pay the £27 tier 1 charge yourself?
Or wait until the new financial year?

Well that isn't the dentists problem either I guess - on an individual level - I would not be personally funding my patients treatment which is what they would be doing.

I asked if I could fund it myself at NHS prices and was told no because my profile on their system shows I am eligible for the maternity exemption until a set date. I could pay privately apparently but I can't afford the private fees.

If appointments are being cancelled based on whether someone is pregnant/exempt or not I'd say it's definitely the dentists problem. I understand having a finite amount of funding, which is why there's a limited number of NHS patients. But I am an NHS patient on their books and I'm being told I can't be seen because I've had a baby.

My guess, as others have said , is it is because the dentists have run out of dental funding until the new financial year on April 1st.

If they see you they will be paid nothing , however if they see NHS fee paying patients privately at least they get the fees that would have been paid on the NHS.

Dental practices have a set amount of funding each year for a set amount of treatment. Once it runs out they cannot apply for more funding as it won’t be given.

Because of a shake up in the way some of the funding is allocated many practices are running out of funding sooner and that situation is likely to get worse next year.

So you can see if another dentist can see you on the NHS before April 1st (very unlikely) or wait until April 1st when new contract year starts and pay NHS fee when your exemption runs out.

It’s an awful situation which is none of the dentists fault. They are being very good because instead of charging standard private prices they are charging NHS fees to keep appointments open. They will be loosing the tiny amount the NHS adds to the fee (normally only a couple of pounds).

You are not being told you cannot be seen as you have had a baby. You are being told you cannot be seen as they have run out of funding for NHS and have to stop treating those who do not contribute. Those on UC who pay nothing will also have appointments cancelled. So the poorest of the poor. Therefore it’s not only pregnancy exemptions it’s UC exemptions and not discriminatory to pregnancy.
you could argue that dentists that don’t accept pregnant women onto NHS are also being discriminatory but yet millions of pregnant women have no access to a dentist at all

That's really bad Op especially refusing you NHS work if you pay the normal rate. If you think your teeth and gums are OK I'd wait it out rather than lose your dentist- my private dentist charges about £70 for a check up and anything else is over the top expensive. It's not right, if you can find a way to complain that won't get back to your dentist then go for it

I would go this route too as the people who can legislate/sort it out really do need to know what it's like for the rest of us mortals.

There are some professions you don't poke - police, judges, doctors and dentists - as they can hurt you far more than you can hurt them. Go the indirect way.

In your situation I'd just pay for a private appointment.

Are you going to fund this for her?

That is fantastic , and as it should be for everybody . It’s a shame that no government has ever made dentistry a priority .

Just because others are being told they can't be seen doesn't automatically mean it isn't discrimination though. The only reason I'm not being seen is because I had a baby within the last 12 months.

I can afford the NHS fees but can't afford a private check up.

I think, as they have run out of funding, you and other exempt patients are being told you can’t be seen until after April 1st because they cannot afford to see and treat you for free.

As you will have been exempt whilst pregnant and for a year afterwards , presumably you have been seen , and will be again after April 1st.

This is not the dentists fault it is the fault of a funding system that even when there are dentists willing to do NHS treatment they will not release funding for it.

It is a problem that will get worse each year as all the “initiatives” to encourage dentists to see new patients come out of existing funding which means NHS funding will run out earlier and earlier each year.

The practice is doing its best (at a loss) by seeing patients who only pay the NHS fee (they will miss out on the couple of pounds the NHS adds). They NHS had promised , in many areas , 10% extra funding but have now said they cannot afford this because of cost overruns in other areas https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-67866257

I’ve not been an NHS patient since like 2012. It’s just not a thing near me! No one has been taking them on in forever. Always had to be private including through two pregnancies. System is a joke

As previous posters have alluded to, this ridiculous situation is a function of the current NHS dental contract which is not fit for purpose and means that practices have essentially run out of money. They can't treat people for free as they have overheads, wages, equipment etc and would go out of business themselves.

However, that doesn't make the situation right. In fact, it's downright scandalous that those who are most at risk of poor oral health will be the ones who aren't being seen.

I would write to both your MP (who can lobby for national contract change) but also your local Integrated Care Board (ICB) who are the commissioners of dental services since taking it on from NHSE in 2023 or thereabouts. They need to know this is going on in their area.

Edited to add: This isn't your dentist's fault and it's likely that they are also frustrated and upset by this. You could ask at your practice if they have a local escalation pathway for complaints etc like this as they will also be wanting to raise/address the problem.

This is indirect sex discrimination which I don't think can be justified. Might also be maternity discrimination but I'd need to check the legislation/case law.

Definitely take it up with your MP and your dentist.

Speak to your MP. They will help you read them the riot act for that because it's very much discrimination.

@Acc0untant will they let you keep the appointment and pay the NHS fee ? I’m in no way saying you should have to do so but I’d be concerned that if you go over the 6 months you read about dentists taking you off their NHS list , even when it’s their fault you’ve gone past 6 months .

No , it is because they have run out of NHS funding they cannot afford to see and treat people for free , therefore are seeing people “privately” for NHS fees.

My guess is that they may still be hoping for funding for these people from their local commissioning group (very unlikely see newspaper article above) and so are gambling with the result , at worst, they will lose the little bit the NHS adds to fee paying patients charges.

If they saw non fee paying patients , at worst , they would have spent out on staff, materials, surgery time etc for no income at all.

No, they've said I can't unfortunately.

There is no such thing as a NHS list in England and Wales and , for most people , check ups are recommended for anything up to 2 years.

As op will have been exempt for their pregnancy and 12 months afterwards presumably they have had at least one check up in that time and can book another after April 1st when the practice will have NHS funding again.

Thread is going a bit too fast for me to reply individually but I am reading everything!

The practice has run out of NHS funding. They cannot afford to see and treat people for nothing.

The complaint should be addressed to the system which will not fund the very few dentists willing to do extra NHS work.

No one can afford to work at a loss .https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czq5yjl7zn1o

I don't care. She's pregnant and needs to be seen.