ANOTHER dentist quits the NHS. That was The Press headline on January 30.

A more appropriate headline would have been to say 'the NHS is quitting dentistry'.

I was the senior partner at the practice in question, and I do have empathy both with the practitioners and my former patients.

My professional career involved being at the sharp end of contract negotiations between the Department of Heath (DH) and the profession, indeed I was formally the national President of the British Dental Association (BDA)

However since retirement, it has distressed me to note that the DH has not fulfilled their obligations and has underspent financially about half a billion pounds on dental services throughout the country.

Indeed I know of a number of practices that have faced bankruptcy in trying to fulfil their NHS obligations. By not fulfilling NHS contracts ( through no fault of the dentists) the NHS claws back substantial sums of money making the practice non viable.

Many items of NHS treatment that dentists provide to ensure a patients healthy lifestyle such as crowns, dentures, inlays, bridges etc. are made at a loss to the practice which is not sustainable.

The BDA has fought the case of providing NHS dentistry on behalf of patients and the dental profession for many years, but sadly despite vague promises the government has failed to rectify the increasing difficulties.

Dr J Stuart Robson,

Black Dyke Lane,

Upper Poppleton,

York

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Russian link is not right

JUST off the coast of Yemen a British tanker, the Marlin Luanda was attacked and damaged by Houthi rebels.

OK the ship sails under the Marshall Islands flag but it is still a British ship.

It is now in a neutral port affecting repairs. My question is - just exactly what is a British ship doing carrying Russian fuel oil? Surely this is ethically wrong on all counts because of Ukraine. Putin gets his cash and it goes straight into his coffers.

Why oh why are we helping this tyrant? Someone please grow a pair and do something about it.

M Horsman,

Moorland Road,

York

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Hens and stags boost economy

I RECENTLY read in the Press how highly rated York is for hen (and stag) parties. Though hardly news it’s a timely reminder to stay out of the city centre when possible.

I suppose that in a way we citizens and local residents should welcome this boost to the city’s income though quantifying its value to the individual ‘Yorkie’ is well beyond my powers of maths and stats!

There’s no doubt that these mobile yet teetering street parties with their green-tipped antennae, pink hair, vibrating fascinators, often sparsity of clothing, and joyous chorusing, or their male equivalents in their too-tight suits in which they always feel uncomfortable (evidently not their natural environment), represent a major York industry alongside higher education and research, more subdued tourism, IT, confectionery, engineering, transport, running (not ruining) the city etc.

Derek Reed,

Middlethorpe Drive,

York

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Sweet memories of a prince

READING D M Deamer’s letter, A perfect cuppa (The Press, Monday, January 29) made me smile.

Many years ago Jack Birch who had been the Lord Mayor of York was also a member of the same chapel as I at Fulford and he told us that one time at a meal for Prince Philip there was apple pie, and Philip asked for cheese.

They got cheese for him and he said: “Apple pie with out cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze".

Maureen Robinson,

Broadway,

York