Friday 29 March 2024
 7.4°C   SE Light Air
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

News / Dental crisis averted

NHS Shetland's new chief dental officer Pippa Arbon

NHS SHETLAND has promised to avert a crisis in dental care in Shetland by maintaining the practice at Lerwick’s St Olaf Street when independent dentist Alan Owen retires in September.

Around 5,000 patients registered with the Lerwick practice faced an uncertain future after Mr Owen announced in April that he would be retiring for health reasons.

He said plans to sell the practice to a Swedish couple had fallen through due to delays in the NHS project to more than double the number of chairs at the Montfield dental surgery.

On Thursday NHS Shetland announced that they will continue to provide “a comprehensive dental service” from the St Olaf Street building, which the health board owns.

Negotiations about the use of equipment at the practice and who will be working there after Mr Owen retires are ongoing.

The health board has appointed dental surgeon Pippa Arbon, who has worked in Shetland for the past three years, as their new dental director following last month’s retirement of Mike Collins.

Director of clinical services Simon Bokor-Ingram said: “I am pleased that Pippa Arbon will be focussing on ensuring a smooth transition for patient care by working closely alongside the St Olaf Street practice up to September when Mr Owen retires.

“We will continue to provide the dental care needs of those people who are registered with the practice out of that building.”

However he added that both NHS and private patients might be treated elsewhere if necessary. “When you need to be seen you might be called for an appointment at Montfield because there is a space there and you can be seen more quickly.”

Discussions with two self employed dentists working at St Olaf Street were ongoing as were discussions about using the equipment based there.

The NHS has been working hard to reduce the waiting list to register with a dentist in Shetland, which stood at around 1,700 last year.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

 

They currently employ a number of locums and are looking to recruit four or five to the islands to boost the service.

Plans to expand the Montfield practice are still being worked on, but cuts in capital funding have meant they have had to be put on hold.

Mr Owen was unavailable for comment on Wednesday afternoon.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 
Categories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.