17th April 2020
Message from Jonathan Lee
I hope everyone is keeping safe and trying to enjoy this great weather whilst at home. I think it is certainly a little easier being socially isolated if you can actually see the sun!
Over the coming weeks I shall try and email some more lighter hearted aspects of our team and work to lighten the gloom but please don’t feel obliged to read them if you don’t want to! For today though it is a more formal update on where we stand in terms of being able to treat our patients.
I’ve not needed to post any updates in the last 10 days or so as nothing further has happened in dentistry to have to inform you about. Unfortunately, we are still only able to provide telephone advice / assessment and no face to face contact.
This is so frustrating for both us and patients alike – especially those in pain. However, the guidelines have been set to minimise the risk of contracting / spreading Co-vid19 which could have far worse consequences. So please bear with us during these extremely difficult times.
We still don’t have an emergency access hub in Surrey set up for treatment yet, but we have been emailed by the NHS to inform us that the service to refer patients through is being set up. For those of you who might need this service, you still have to ring us for advice, then we make the decision to refer you. One of our dentists in the practice is on call 5 days a week, between 9am and 5pm. This referral then goes to a further triage and assessment centre (I’m assuming somewhere in Surrey / South East) and they then have the final say whether you will be seen for treatment or not. If you then need treatment, you will be directed to a clinic providing the service, based on postcode.
I’m still very unhappy that this service is not up and running and some of you may have seen the press have also jumped on this story over the last few days. I can only apologise that there is not a more robust and effective system in place at this time. Unregistered patients are left with the only option of using NHS 111 or A&E which is not the most satisfactory solution at all. We are working hard to set up our return (which will hopefully not be in the too distant future!) and reopening of the practice. It is likely there will still be restrictions on what treatment we will be allowed to provide in the short term due to the still unknown risks of Covid-19 in dentistry. However, we will be putting in place extra sessions on extra days so as to minimise the impact on you. We will also not only be making sure you receive the level of service that you expect from your continued membership, but we will also be prioritising those with outstanding treatment or with pain / emergencies in order to get those of you who may have had appointments cancelled in the last month ‘back on track’. Rest assured we will be doing our utmost to make sure the impact of this unusual time is minimised as much as possible.
Once again, thank you for your continued support during our enforced closure. I’m reassured that the practice has a wonderful group of patients that makes it a pleasure to care for, and I know I speak for the team when I say we are missing looking after you all.
Easter Update 9th April 2020
Easter Greetings to all our loyal patients.
Please be aware, due to government advice the practice remains closed.
During the Easter break, if you have an emergency – uncontrolled bleeding, swelling, pain that cannot be controlled with painkillers or trauma please call us and we can offer advice.
Good Friday & Easter Monday 01372 897197. 9am – 5pm
If you have an emergency out of these hours please call 111
Please stay safe and thank you for your understanding during this time.
Best Wishes The Dental Elements Team
I hope you are all keeping safe and well. Thank you for your continued loyalty and support, even during these uncertain times. Our thoughts go out to all of you who have been affected by this unprecedented situation.
Further to my e-mail to you all last Tuesday 17th March regarding the situation with Covid-19, I am now writing to you again to update you with how this rapidly evolving situation will affect your care at Dental Elements.
Following consultation with countless colleagues, opinion leaders, governmental bodies, medical colleagues in the direct frontline of dealing with Covid-19 and numerous in-house staff meetings, I am very sad to say that I have made the immediate decision from Monday 23rd March 2020 to temporarily suspend all routine dental care and restrict our care to dental emergencies only for the foreseeable future.
Whilst sad, I believe this is unequivocally the best and only choice in present circumstances. My absolute priority at Dental Elements has always been to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both our patients and also of our staff.
Our duty of care is not only to protect our patients and staff but also to minimise the spread of Covid-19 by enacting upon the social distancing measures as stressed by the government in recent days.
We shall continue to provide a telephone / videocall triaging system (similar to the GP) for any dental emergencies in the first instance and if of a suitable level of urgency then arrangements will be made for you to be seen at the practice. We shall be operating a telephone triage system on (01372) 897197 from 0800-1700 Monday to Friday.
If you have an appointment with us in the diary already in the upcoming days / weeks then one of our team members shall give you a call in the near future to rebook it at a later date.
Again to reiterate, we would like to reassure you that, as always we are here for you and shall continue to act to ensure the health and the safety of our patients and team.
If you are in self isolation and would like someone to talk to please call us on (01372) 897197 and one of the team members will happily talk to you for a bit to help with the day.
If you are struggling for emergency supplies please give us a call and we will see if we can organise something to help you out. Unsurprisingly, we have some toothpaste and toothbrushes we can send out via post if needed.
I shall of course keep you updated with any developments and when the time is right, we look forward to welcoming you back to Dental Elements and bringing a smile back to you.
Please be safe, take care of yourselves, your loved ones and your communities.
With very best wishes from Jon and all at Dental Elements