Dentist plan for Sainsbury's in Bolton
8:54am Thursday 10th September 2009 in News
A SUPERMARKET is hoping to fill a gap in the market — by opening a dental surgery within the store.
Sainsbury’s in Trinity Street has applied for planning permission to open a dental surgery, allowing shoppers to pop in for a check-up as they stock up on groceries.
The move is thought to be the first of its kind in the town but follows similar practices being set up at the Sainsbury’s stores in Heaton Park and Sale, which the company says have been a success.
The scheme was piloted last year due to the shortage of dentists in the country, with more than two million people being unable to register with a surgery willing to take on NHS patients.
Sainsbury’s David Gilder said: “There is a shortage of dental practices in the UK and the launch of this new service goes some way to providing local people with greater access to dental advice and a range of procedures.
“We have a long history of providing health care services in our stores which have been enormously popular with customers wanting access to health care professionals at convenient locations and at flexible times.”
The practice would be private but health chiefs in the town said NHS dental provision was getting better. A spokesman said: “We have been doing a lot in recent years to improve NHS dental care in Bolton including the Rotational Occasional Treatment Scheme which offers appointment slots to non-registered patients who need urgent care.”
If the application is given the go-ahead, the surgery will be open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm on Saturdays and 12pm to 4pm on Sundays and bank holidays. A decision is expected to be made by Bolton Council next month.
amanda.smith@theboltonnews.co.uk
