NHS Patient Responsibilities & Practice Discharge Policy

At The Vallance Dental Centre, we are committed to providing high-quality NHS dental care to as many patients as possible. To achieve this fairly, it’s important that appointments are used efficiently and that patients maintain regular attendance.

1. The Nature of NHS Dental Care

Under NHS regulations, patients are not permanently registered with a dentist. You are considered “under our care” only during an active course of treatment — for example, a check-up and any follow-up work. Once your course of treatment is completed and the claim has been submitted to the NHS, that episode of care ends.

We welcome patients back for future NHS treatment, but this depends on:

• Our NHS capacity, which is limited and must be managed carefully.
• Regular attendance — patients who do not attend for long periods may lose access to NHS care at our practice.

2. Maintaining Regular Attendance

To ensure we can offer NHS appointments fairly, the following policy applies:

a) Inactivity of 24 months

• Patients who have not attended the practice for 24 months or more will be considered inactive and will no longer have access to NHS care at our practice.
• This policy helps ensure that we can offer NHS appointments to those who need ongoing, regular care.
• NHS dental funding is limited, and missed or inactive spaces mean other patients are unable to receive timely treatment.
• Regular attendance helps us detect and treat problems early, supporting better oral health outcomes.

b) Failure to attend first appointment or short-notice cancellation

• If a new patient fails to attend their first appointment or cancels with less than 24 hours’ notice, they will not be offered another NHS appointment at our practice.
• This ensures appointments are not wasted, as late cancellations often cannot be reallocated.

c) Repeated missed or short-notice cancellations

• Existing patients who miss or cancel at short notice more than one appointment within a 12-month period may also be removed from our NHS list and not offered further NHS appointments.
• Consistent attendance allows us to plan our schedule effectively and provide timely care to all patients.

3. Other Reasons We May Conclude NHS Care

• A breakdown in the professional relationship, such as repeated non-attendance, failure to follow treatment advice, or behaviour that makes care unreasonably difficult.
• Abusive, aggressive, or disrespectful behaviour toward our team or other patients.
• If the treatment required is outside the NHS contract, such as purely cosmetic procedures, we will explain this and offer private options where available.
• If NHS capacity is temporarily full and we are unable to continue care, we will advise patients accordingly.

4. What Happens If NHS Care Ends

• We will complete any active course of treatment already started (unless it is unsafe or consent is withdrawn).
• We will provide information on how to find alternative NHS dental care via the NHS “Find a Dentist” service or by calling NHS 111.
• You may, of course, continue your care privately at our practice if you wish.

5. Our Commitment to Fairness

• We will never refuse treatment based on age, disability, medical condition, or treatment complexity (where it is within our NHS contract).
• Any decisions to withdraw NHS care will be made fairly, with clear documentation and in accordance with NHS England guidance.
• Our aim is always to make NHS dentistry accessible to those who value and make good use of their appointments.

Contact us if you are unsure about any part of this policy or would like to discuss your NHS care with our team.