LevellerLive

Today four new emergency dental centres were announced by NHS England for the south west. they are in Salisbury, Wiltshire, Quedgeley, Gloucestershire, and Barnstable and Okehampton in Devon.

19 new urgent dental care centres have been set up across south west England by the NHS. the idea is that they provide a skeleton service during the pandemic. To get help, people should phone their own dentist to be assessed. All NHS dental surgeries can be contacted, even while their doors are closed.

Those without a dentist or who cannot get through to their usual surgery should call NHS111 who will direct you to your nearest available dentist.

Conditions needing immediate treatment might include:

• Dental infection/fever/swelling, especially if it might affect the airway
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Injury

Whilst welcoming the initiative, it is disappointing to see such poor provision in Somerset. Also it seems odd that the two centres opened are so close together. Especially as we live in such a large county.

The announcement of the four new centres will not be great news for the residents of South Somerset in particular. Only two of the new dental centres have been set up in the Somerset County Council area. One in Taunton, one in Bridgwater.

With no new centre in Yeovil, residents of South Somerset will find the nearest urgent dental centre in Taunton. Though for some the nearest option may well be Dorchester in neighbouring Dorset.

Some residents of West Somerset may also find their closest option is over the county border in Barnstaple.

For those in the northern chunk of Mendip and perhaps Bruton too, the centre in Bath may be easier than one in Taunton.

The 19 new urgent dental centres are based in: Bath, Barnstaple, Bodmin, Bridgwater, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cheltenham, Chippenham, Dorchester, Exeter, Gloucester, Isles of Scilly, Newton Abbot,  Plymouth, , Swindon, Torbay, Truro, Taunton and Weston Super Mare plus the latest four in Salisbury, Quedgeley, Barnstable and Okehampton