Hello

We hope you are all well in the current climate.

As many of you will be aware the practice has been only able to offer a remote service to our patients for the past 11 weeks and will continue to do so until we reopen.

On Thursday 28th May 2020 we were informed that we would be able to re-open for face to face care.

To do this we need to ensure we have the appropriate procedures and systems in place to ensure your safety and the safety of the staff.

Over the past 11 weeks we have spent a lot of time researching guidance to help us design and implement a standard operating procedure and trying to purchase the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

The practice is not part of the NHS supply chain for PPE.

This has been a challenge and along with many practices we have not been able to purchase all the PPE we require to carry out certain procedures.

We are working towards opening on the 8th June 2020 but it will not be “business as usual”. The service we will be able to offer initially will be limited and follow the guidance issued by the chief dental officer.

We will be sequencing and scheduling care to patients initially who are in urgent need, this will be patients who have been in contact over the past 11 weeks with toothache or pain and patients who are currently having problems.

The treatment we can offer any patient will be dependent on having the appropriate PPE.

Please can we ask that if we have recently cancelled your appointment and you are wanting to rebook or your examination is due, you do not contact us to make/remake the appointment in the next few weeks, we will contact you. If you are having problems of course call us and we will do our utmost to help.

The full guidance on how we can open safely is due to be issued week commencing 1st June 2020, this will help us ensure the safety of patients and staff.

Once all systems and protocols are in place, we have the appropriate PPE and the team is fully trained in the new way of working we will look forward to seeing you again.

Please stay safe and thank you for your patience and support.

If you do require urgent treatment prior to the 8th June or when we open.

Where necessary we can provide care in the form of advice for analgesics and prescriptions for antibiotics.

Practices and dental hospitals continue to work together and face to face consultations and treatment, if necessary, will be provided for clinically urgent problems at one of these practices or dental hospitals after a telephone consultation with a dentist.

If you require advice outside of normal hours and have an urgent dental problem, please consider if this could wait until the following day or over the weekend rather than accessing the out of hours’ services.

If your out of hours’ problem is extremely severe please contact the out of hours’ service through NHS 111.

If your dental problem includes uncontrolled bleeding and a swelling that is causing breathing problems this is an emergency and you should go to A&E.