A NEW mum is having to endure an 16-mile round trip to see a dentist after her Worcester practice stopped treatment on the NHS.

Kay Dallimer has been told she has to travel to a dental surgery in Droitwich, if she wants treatment on the NHS.

Mrs Dallimer has been a patient at Abbotsbury Court dental surgery at St Peter's for five years, but has been told she can no longer be offered NHS treatment.

She says has been offered private treatment at the practice, but cannot afford its prices.

"The dentist recommended treatment but said the practice was going private and they could no longer do my treatment on the NHS, even though I am exempt from charges as I recently had a baby," said Mrs Dallimer, of The Arboretum, Worcester.

"It is very inconvenient to go to Droitwich. I will have to go by train and will have a young baby with me.

"I was very happy where I was, but the prices they were quoting were half of my weekly salary.

"I am also a great believer in the NHS, and think we should make it work for us, as we pay for it after all."

Abbotsbury Court practice closed its doors to NHS patients last week and Lyppard Grange surgery, Warndon is not accepting new patients.

Both are swamped with patients because of the shortage of NHS dentists in the city - a pattern which is reflected nationwide.

South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust has already said the decision to terminate NHS dental contracts is regrettable.

It said many schemes had been introduced to try and keep dentists working within the NHS, but with little success.