'No money' for 1,200 NHS patients

Dr Prashar has worked in the NHS for 16 years

A dentist has said he has been told to get rid of hundreds of NHS patients because there is no longer funding for his practice.

Dr Jaideep Prashar has 1,200 NHS patients at his clinic in Hampstead in north London, which opened in November.

He claimed he was a victim of the government's new dentists' contracts which were signed last week.

The local Camden Primary Care Trust (PCT) said Dr Prashar opened his practice without discussing funding.

Under the new contracts, dentists will get an income based on the previous three years' earnings.

This is the irony, that up and down the country people are screaming out for NHS dentists. Dr Jaideep Prashar Q&A: Dentist reforms

As Dr Prashar's practice opened just five months ago, this will not be enough to finance his NHS patients.

Dr Prashar said the PCT has suggested he carry out private treatment but he wanted to remain in the NHS, where he has worked for the last 16 years.

He told BBC Five Live: "This is the irony, that up and down the country people are screaming out for NHS dentists.

"Myself and two other colleagues, three UK qualified dentists, are happy to carry on doing dental work in the heart of Hampstead, where there is a shortage of NHS dentistry.

Hands tied

"Camden PCT told me there is no funding in the pot. I'm not blaming them as such as their hands may be tied by central government."

In a statement, Camden PCT denied telling Dr Prashar to go private, adding: "The practice opened without discussions with us regarding the availability of NHS funding.

"In discussions with the practice, we explained that there may be some funding available for NHS activity.

"We have advised Dr Prashar that under the new contract... we can redistribute money to practices from any dentists who stop providing NHS services."

Dr Prashar said he had written to the Department of Health and his local MP Glenda Jackson.