The NHS dental service based at Hillside Dental Clinic on the old Noble’s Hospital site will, from January 19, be delivered by a new NHS provider, Ravat & Ray Dental Care.
Ravat & Ray Dental Care has a number of NHS practices throughout the UK, offering ‘personalised care and dedicated local community support’.
Martin Weavers, director for Ravat & Ray Dental Care said: ‘This is an exciting opportunity for us and we look forward to working with the Department of Health and Social Care to provide quality NHS dentistry to our island patients.’
Dave Kissack, of the externally commissioned services division of the Department of Health and Social Care, said: ‘All patients who currently attend the clinic will be advised of the change and their care will be automatically transferred to the new provider. The department will manage the allocation of additional patients and I would urge people not to contact the practice directly.
‘Anyone who has a query relating to being allocated a dentist should contact 642662 or e-mail CommunityDental.DH@gov.im. The salaried dental staff currently working out of the Hillside clinic will be redeployed, broadening our ability to deliver our dental services to the public.’
Minister for Health and Social Care, Howard Quayle MHK, said: ‘This is good news for local residents as the provision of this new contracted service adds additional capacity for dental services in Douglas and I’m delighted that Ravat & Ray Dental Care has been chosen to work with the department to provide NHS dentistry in this part of the island.’