Rachael Maskell in plea over BUPA's Holgate practice closure

Addressing the House of Commons, Ms Maskell has handed in a local resident-led petition, requesting that the Government step in to stop the closure of the BUPA Dental Care York facility in Holgate.

Without any intervention, the practice which currently has 6,200 patients on its books including 4,200 NHS patients, is currently set to close next Friday (June 30).

READ MORE: 7,000 patients 'to lose NHS dentist' as BUPA to close Holgate practice

The MP says residents are deeply concerned about the situation, not least because the waiting lists to access NHS dentistry in the York have now risen to seven years.

If the facility does close it will be the third large dental practice in the city to leave NHS patients without access to dental care.

Upon handing in the petition to the House of Commons on Thursday, Ms Maskell urged the Government to call on BUPA to stop the closure and to provide adequate dental care to residents in the area.

Rachael Maskell MP in Parliament (Image: Newsquest)

This intervention by the York Central MP comes as part of a wider campaign to tackle growing health inequalities in the city.

READ MORE: 'Significant concern' among patients over BUPA dental practice closure

Ms Maskell said afterwards: “The situation with dental care in the city is now critical. We have already seen two large dental practices in the past year writing to patients to say they are no longer accepting NHS appointments for the foreseeable future, and we are now faced with the BUPA Dental Care York facility in Holgate closing completely.

“I have long been calling on the Government to step in, but to date they have failed to do so. Residents are rightly very angry about the situation. The closure will mean that from next week, an additional 4,200 patients in the city will have no access to NHS treatment.

READ MORE: BUPA blames Holgate practice closure on problems recruiting dentists

“It is just not acceptable for Ministers to preside over such huge health inequalities any longer. In delivering this petition to Parliament today, I really do hope that the Government will listen to residents who are directly affected and answer the joint call to provide the urgent NHS dental places our city so desperately needs. That is why I am also calling for a National NHS Dental Service.”

When it announced the closure of the Holgate Practice as part of a nationwide closure programme, BUPA blamed staff shortages and rising costs. The private provider said it was committed to provision in  the city and was expanding its facilities in Lawrence Street.

READ MORE: Dental care 'in urgent need of reform' - York Outer MP Julian Sturdy

York Outer MP Julian Sturdy said he had been meeting with BUPA, government ministers and the Integrated Care Board of the NHS to come up with a solution, including the wider issue of dental provision in York, which is a “significant concern” for the city, he added.